Outside of Time
by Sunset Miko
Summary: Kagome has been seeing a very familiar youkai in her era. How did he get there and what does he want?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The first time it happened, Kagome had been walking up the shrine stairs after a long day at school. Every day she spent at school seemed infinitely long since her quest began, because of just how far behind she was in her studies, but at that moment, she was more than a little exhausted. As she reached the top of the staircase, she saw her mother and grandfather fussing over a well-dressed executive. She could hear as they thanked him repeatedly for his generous donation, but for some reason, his eyes were on her instead.

Their gazes locked and in that instant, he began to shimmer. It started at the tip of his nose and washed back, the false image falling away like scales, revealing the truth hidden beneath. Sharp slashes of color stained his cheeks and eyelids, while a very familiar family crest graced his brow. His raven hair turned silver, starting at the roots, and moving along the long strands towards the tips, almost as if she had just watched him go gray at high speed. The tips of stripes peeked out from the carefully buttoned sleeves of his suit, each decorated with shining silver cufflinks in the shape of crescent moons.

Even the tips of his fingers changed, his short human nails replaced by long, razor sharp claws that held just a hint of green tint. She knew the cause of that slight discoloration. She could remember the scent of his poison as it dripped to the ground to hiss and pop while it ate away at anything it touched. That scent had been burned into her brain when he doused her in it, hoping to melt her into a puddle. Only his father's sword, the Tetsusaiga, had saved her from a torturous death, and the look he had given her, as if he was offended that she dared to survive his attack, was permanently etched into her mind.

As if the sight wasn't enough, Kagome suddenly sensed youki, powerful youki. It exploded out of him as if he had chosen that moment to release it, as if he wanted to ensure that there could be no question as to whom she was seeing before her. Rather than being uncomfortable or oppressive as it had always been in the past, it lapped at her like cool, gentle waves on the beach licking over hot sand. She was certain her eyes couldn't have opened any wider, and the miko could have sworn she saw amusement in that familiar golden gaze.

Seconds later, the spell was broken. He looked away, and she watched as the executive bowed to her mother and grandfather politely before heading down the stairs towards the street below. She couldn't drag her eyes off the man, no, demon; mesmerized by the way his knee length hair swayed with each step. He reached the sidewalk, and the door to a town car was opened for him. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, just long enough to run his eyes over her appraisingly from head to toe, before disappearing into the darkness of the car, the door closing behind him.

Completely in awe of what she had just seen, Kagome turned to her family. It was obvious by their behavior that neither her mother, nor her grandfather, had witnessed the change that she had. They were oblivious as to who, and what, they had just been bowing to in thanks. She spoke quickly, excitedly, as she demanded to know who that man had been.

"Oh, that was Mr. Nishimara. He's our biggest donor. Without his generosity, I don't think we could have managed to keep the shrine open all these years."

"How... How long has he been a donor?"

Mrs. Higurashi looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. "For as long as I can remember, even back before we lost your father. He used to send a representative from his company, but these last few years, he's honored us with his presence personally."

"What does he do when he's here?"

"Why all the questions, dear?"

"I just... Please, just answer me."

"When he first arrives, he likes to wander the grounds. He spends a good deal of time beneath the Goshinboku, meditating. It always amazes me how he can sit on the ground in such an expensive suit, and then rise without a speck of dirt or the hint of a wrinkle to show for it."

Kagome mentally laughed. Wasn't that just like him: always perfectly groomed, whether fresh from the bath or after an epic, drawn out battle.

"Does he go near the well house?" the young miko asked, her tone turning urgent. What else could he be doing at her family shrine? It had to have something to do with her and her quest in the past.

"I'm sure he's walked past it but he's never shown any interest, at least not that I've witnessed. Why? Is something wrong, Kagome?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "He just... reminded me of someone."

"A friend?"

Kagome allowed the laugh to pass her lips this time. "No, I wouldn't call him that. More of an acquaintance, really, if that. A rather tenuous relationship, to be sure." In all honesty, he was an enemy, almost as much as Naraku was, but she couldn't explain that to the older woman. She was blissfully ignorant as to just how much danger her daughter was in on a daily basis, and the time traveling miko wanted to keep it that way.

"Perhaps he seems familiar because you have seen him here before," her mother suggested.

"Oh, I've seen him before, just never here." The miko's mind was filled with flashes of the battles he and Inuyasha had fought; of the times the tall youkai tried to kill her, and the few occasions when she had fired back. 'Never now,' she continued silently. 'Always then, but never now. What in the world are you doing here, Sesshoumaru? And how did you manage to hide your presence from me for so long?'

~-Outside of Time-~

The first time it happened, they were at his father's grave, and she dared to pull the Tetsusaiga from the stone that held it fast, even when neither he nor Inuyasha had been able to do so. Something inside him shifted in that moment, pulsing to life, something he didn't recognize, and so to put a stop to that foreign feeling, Sesshoumaru doused the troublesome human in his poison, hoping to be done with her. When she emerged unharmed, that strange sensation only grew.

When she selected Inuyasha as her champion and gave the half-breed the sword he, himself, coveted, his heart seemed to ache, almost as if he hoped she would choose him, a ridiculous notion, to be sure. She saw him as an enemy, and they were in the midst of a battle. She would never think for even a moment that he would be the better choice. When his half-brother demanded she let him protect her, the sword responded, bonding with him, sharing its power so long as he continued to guard that human woman with his very life.

Meanwhile, his beast raged inside of him, begging to be let out to get at the girl. He assumed it was to teach her a lesson about respect, because she showed him none, despite the fact that he was obviously her better. While she showed no respect, her loyalty was on display for all to see as she stuck by his half-brother. Her level of trust in the hanyou, her blind belief that he would keep her safe from such a powerful opponent, was astounding. How could such an inexperienced pup possibly keep her safe? He found out soon enough.

He wished he could blame her for what happened that day. She certainly managed to distract him from his battle with the hanyou, but that wasn't why he lost his arm. No, he underestimated his opponent, as well as his opponent's devotion to the one he protected. Some part of him realized, in that moment, as his limb was cleaved cleanly from his body, that he would never be able to match Inuyasha, despite his pure demon blood, so long as he was willing to give his life to protect someone else. That girl, in a matter of seconds, had become his well of power. She was the source of his nearly endless strength. The hanyou would fight until his dying breath to keep her from danger and for a moment, Sesshoumaru wondered what it was like, caring about someone like that. Then, he quickly flicked the errant thought aside, in much the same way as he flicked his hair back into place behind his shoulder, an effortless motion, one perfected over time through repetition.

He thought that was the end of it. Sure, he wanted the sword, and he doggedly pursued his half-brother, attacking him time after time in an effort to gain what should have been rightfully his, but every time they crossed blades, she was there. Every time, her loyalty and trust shined like beams of sunlight burning through the cloudy sky. Every time he saw her, that strange feeling inside of him grew and his beast rattled his cage to get to her, though he ignored it for as long as he could manage.

Eventually, however, it became impossible to do so. She was there in his mind every time he closed his eyes. She dominated his thoughts no matter what else he attempted to focus on. It was as if she forced her way into his brain, and he couldn't get her out. His beast whispered about her in the dead of night, making sleep nearly impossible. When he did manage to drift off, she was there in his dreams.

Finally, he allowed himself the time to think over what was happening in his heart and mind, and though he despised the very idea, he began to understand. His beast fought to get at her not because he wished to injure or kill her, but because he wished to claim her as his own, as their mate. It was completely unacceptable and again, he fought against it. He would not fall so low. He would not touch a filthy human, let alone make one his mate. He would rather die first.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The second time it happened was on a crowded train. She always did her best to mind her own business while using this mode of transportation, trying to focus on reading or listening to music through her tiny ear buds, anything to keep from making eye contact with strangers. She had learned the hard way that doing so invited inane conversation from some and very unwanted physical contact from others.

As such, she had no idea when he had gotten on, but apparently, he was displeased with the fact that she hadn't noticed him. He never did seem like someone to be ignored. He released his youki in a much more controlled way this time, just one wisp of demonic energy that drifted across the distance that separated them, winding around those standing in between the rows of seats until it reached her. It tapped her knee and, when her gaze flew to the spot on her skin that was suddenly tingling, it nudged the underside of her chin, forcefully lifting her head until her gaze landed right where he wanted it to be.

His face was completely impassive, as always, but the sight was entrancing nonetheless, and she watched as his disguise fell bit by bit just as it had the last time. No one else noticed the change in his appearance. No one else seemed to feel the cold touch of his youki, and if they did, it did little more than raise the hairs on the back of their necks. She didn't understand why he had demanded her attention in such a way. He didn't make a sound, didn't move an inch. He merely stared into her eyes as if trying to communicate through their visual connection.

Only then did Kagome begin to wonder if he was allowing her to see past whatever spell or charm he was using to change his appearance, or if she was simply able to do so because of her miko powers. Did he know that she could see the real him? He had to. No detail, no matter how insignificant, ever escaped his notice.

Was he following her? He obviously had a car at his disposal, equipped with a personal driver, so why would someone as affluent as he appeared to be choose to ride the crowded, smelly train? His powerful nose had to be punishing him for making such a choice. Humans were crammed inside that metal tube like sardines in a can and not everyone had good bathing habits. Even she could smell the odor wafting her direction from a decrepit and rather confused looking old man a short distance away.

He had to be miserable, and yet he sat there with that emotionless mask on his face. As far as the showing of emotions was concerned, Sesshoumaru might as well have been the one crafted out of clay instead of Kikyo. The closest thing she'd witnessed that might be labeled an expression was a twitch at the corner of his lips. Up or down, it didn't matter; both indicated that a great deal of pain, or perhaps even death, was coming your way. Then there was the raising of that infernal eyebrow, his way of questioning without lowering himself to actually appear curious. If not curiosity, then judgment was implied by the movement of that thin line of short black hair. If you looked close enough, though; if you looked long enough, you could sometimes see more in his eyes, but he usually shielded even those burning golden orbs, making them appear as cold and impassive as the rest of him.

Her gaze never left his, the connection only broken when someone stepped in between them, blocking their lines of sight. When that occurred, neither of them moved to reestablish eye contact. They simply waited until the obstruction moved. Kagome wondered just why he was there, wanting her attention. She never sensed a demonic presence in her time before the first time their paths had crossed weeks ago, and she hadn't since. Only his youki licked at her senses, and only when he chose to allow it out. He obviously had iron-like control, but then that wasn't really a surprise. He had always been the master of self-control, and he had centuries more to perfect his technique since the last time she had seen him in the past.

Had something happened? Had she done something to change the course of time that allowed the taiyoukai to survive through to her era? If he was here, did that mean others were as well? Were there demons disguising themselves as humans? Surely not all of them would be so adept at masking their aura and youki, and yet she had sensed no one. Only Sesshoumaru's presence tickled her senses.

Their eye contact was broken once again as the train slowed to a stop and the doors opened, people stepping between them to disembark while others climbed on. Kagome glanced at her surroundings, quickly realizing that this was her stop, and she rose. The flow of the crowd pushed her out the doors and onto the platform. She couldn't help but look back, wondering for a moment if she had merely imagined his presence, but there he was, turned in his seat, and staring at her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

What did that look mean? If he had something to tell her, surely he would simply come out and say it. He wasn't one to play games, except with Inuyasha. He seemed to greatly enjoy playing with his half-brother. Was that what this was? Was he waiting for her to tell the hanyou about him? Was he hoping to taunt his only sibling with the knowledge of his survival? That he could reach her on the other side of the well if he so desired?

Kagome had no intention of telling her best friend that she spotted his elder half-brother in her time, not yet. Maybe if something actually happened between them other than staring, but not now. It would only serve to aggravate Inuyasha, something that would likely result in a messy confrontation with the taiyoukai in question, only the Feudal Era version of Sesshoumaru, the one who would have no idea about the games he was playing with her five hundred years in the future.

A feeling of dread washed through the miko as a thought struck her. Was he there to warn her about something? Was something bad going to happen that he wanted her to change? Were her friends in danger? Or perhaps that sweet little girl that sometimes followed after the emotionless taiyoukai? Kagome shook her head and took a deep breath in the hopes of calming her fears. Why would Sesshoumaru bother trying to help her? He despised her and everyone else in their group, and he was more than capable of protecting Rin on his own. He didn't need her.

Besides, if he had something to warn her about, surely he would have come out with it the first time he laid eyes on her. No, this was something else entirely. She just had no idea what. She wouldn't know until he decided to tell her, if he decided to tell her at all, and so the miko chose not to think about it further. If she were lucky, she would never run across him again. It was a big city, and she doubted they ran in the same social circles. She hoped that he had satisfied whatever curiosity he might have had about her, if that were even the case. Either way, she refused to allow the taiyoukai to cross her mind again.

The second time it happened, Inuyasha had lost himself to his demon blood. Their group had grown from just the miko and the hanyou to include a monk, a slayer, a fire neko, and a young kitsune, but no one knew how to stop the rampage. He watched from the distance for a time as his brother slaughtered one after the next, mindless. At first, he had not thought to get involved. It wasn't his problem, really. In fact, if the hanyou turned on his friends, that would solve two problems for him. The miko that haunted his thoughts would be gone, putting an end to the ridiculousness that had become his life, and the guilt would cause Inuyasha to follow soon after her, getting rid of the stain on his family's honor.

He watched and waited, determined to allow the bloodshed to continue. That was, he did so until the miko foolishly threw herself against Inuyasha in an attempt to bring him back to himself. He intended to let her die, but his beast howled in his mind, demanding he rescue their desired female and, against his better judgment, he stepped in.

She was lucky the hanyou's lengthened claws hadn't already sliced into her as he pulled her away, tossing her carelessly towards her friends. He wasn't concerned enough to make sure she wasn't hurt as she rolled along the ground, and he ignored her hiss of pain as the slayer pulled her to her feet. He had other things to focus on, mostly the rabid hanyou staring him down, and he smirked at the thought of testing his strength against his half-brother while he was fully consumed by his demon blood. Perhaps, finally, a real fight. And this time, his brother wouldn't be relying on the power his devotion to the miko gave him. He didn't even know who she was at the moment.

One second, they were staring each other down, and the next, they flew at one another, meeting in the middle, claws clashing against claws. Sesshoumaru was impressed. Inuyasha had actually managed to injure him, but it was nothing compared to the damage he did in return. It didn't take long for the hanyou to be laid out on the ground, panting for breath while trying to force his battered body to rise.

The taiyoukai's eyes flickered to the limping miko, wondering what she was up to, as she gave them a wide berth, not interested in getting in the way during their battle. Her concern was obvious, as were her feelings towards him. She despised him for what he was doing to her friend and, while consciously, that pleased him; it nearly sent his beast into hysterics. If she hated him, then she would never be his mate, something his instinctual side refused to accept. He demanded he fix what he had broken, and fast.

Finally, it became clear what Kagome was after as she bent awkwardly and picked up the Tetsusaiga. Even injured, she had no intention of letting him get a hold of the sword he desired. She clung to the chipped and rusty blade, and he realized that she knew it would protect her if he attempted to attack. She had obviously twisted her ankle during her tumble towards her friends, and a hint of guilt fluttered through him, though he ignored it. He saved her life when he should have let her die, when he would have been happy to watch her bleed out on the ground at his feet. She should be grateful that she still breathed.

She showed him no fear as she approached where Inuyasha lay, bleeding and snarling viciously while trying to gain his footing. He knew she was approaching in an attempt to protect the hanyou from further damage, even though he was still wild and out of control. Again, she would risk her life for him, just as he would give his life for her. The devotion of each to the other twisted his stomach into knots and made him feel nauseated.

What was it about the blood of their father that he and both his sons were drawn so powerfully towards human women? It was disgusting and completely unacceptable, and yet it was the truth. The miko still drew him in, despite his decision that he would never fall so low. Already, he had lowered himself to protect her, and if he knew how to fear, he might have feared what would come next, how much further he might fall, and wonder how much longer he had until he lost the will to fight against his true desires.

She shot him a vicious glare full of the disgust she felt at his behavior. She hated how he injured her precious half-breed, and something in his heart clenched painfully. Did she not realize that he had done this all for her? Okay, not entirely for her. He wished to fight a challenging opponent, as it was nearly impossible for him to find one worthy of his time. Still, he saved her life, and yet she eyed him with distain. He quickly shoved away the feeling of pain in his chest, leveling cold golden eyes on the miko. Their gazes locked for a few moments and his beast howled in his mind, demanding that he approach her and lay his claim before someone else did, but Sesshoumaru ignored his other half expertly. He flicked the hanyou's blood from his claws and slowly raised a brow in a condescending fashion.

"If you do not wish for this to happen again, make sure the sword stays at his side at all times. It helps contain his demon half." He fought down the desire to smirk when her eyes widened in shock. Apparently, she hadn't expected him to be helpful. In all truth, neither had he. She should be dead right now, shredded by the hanyou's claws, lying in a pool of her own blood, but he saved her life, and he still wasn't entirely sure why he had given in to his beast's demands. If she were gone, this indignity would end!

Sesshoumaru turned and walked away without another word, though his lips quirked up at the corners against his will as he heard her whispered, "Thanks."

He hadn't done it to save his brother from his own blood. He did it for her, only for her. And she would never know it. She would never know that he became involved for her sake. He could not allow her to find out. It would raise too many questions. As he stalked through the forest, enraged by his own actions, the taiyoukai had to acknowledge that he was in trouble. He was always in control of his actions and his emotions, and yet this little human woman ripped that control away with just her existence. A hint of her scent, the sound of her voice, just a glimpse of her... Any or all of it was enough to make him do things he would otherwise never willingly do. She had no idea what she did to him, and it seemed as if he couldn't ignore her effects any longer. She simply wouldn't allow it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Something had definitely changed. Either she had altered something in the past that rippled through time and affected her era, or she was simply coming into her powers, which allowed her to see and sense more than ever before. She hadn't seen the future Sesshoumaru in almost a month. Their paths had crossed a few times in the Feudal Era, but each encounter had ended like the rest, with the taiyoukai walking away, leaving a bloody hanyou behind.

She didn't need to see him, though, to know something was different. No, the proof was everywhere. When she first started noticing it, she freaked out and locked herself away in her room for days, refusing both her mother's requests and Inuyasha's demands that she come out and face the world. Finally, she felt as if she had pulled herself together enough to dare venture outside. There wasn't a hint of the strange occurrences on the shrine and so she assumed that it had been a fluke, that her mind had been playing tricks on her. Thinking it was safe; she decided to go shopping for supplies, knowing that she had delayed their quest long enough with her silliness.

As soon as her feet hit the sidewalk at the bottom of the tall flight of stairs, however, she realized that she was wrong. She hadn't been silly. She hadn't been imagining things. They were everywhere. It was then that Kagome realized that Sesshoumaru had to have been purposely allowing her to see what was hidden beneath his disguise. It wasn't simply because of her powers, because no one else was unveiled before her quite so completely.

They all wore disguises. They all used some kind of charm or spell to hide their true appearances, and yet she could see through it. Just a little here or there. She spotted a hanyou with ears so similar to her inu hanyou friend's, only they were bright green, the same color as the girl's hair. Then there was some kind of reptilian youkai, only his forked tongue and strange eyes giving away his inhumanity. Sometimes all she saw were the claws or the fangs, while with others, more obvious traits were visible. Scaled skin, a head full of feathers, hooves in place of hands; the sights were endless and each and every one gave her pause, stopped her in her tracks. She did her best not to stare. They didn't seem to know she could see them. No one seemed to recognize the magic in her blood, the aura of purity that pulsed around her. They were completely ignorant of the fact that their disguises weren't as foolproof as they believed.

What was the most shocking, however, was when she realized that one of her close friends carried some amount of demon blood. Eri had stripes on her face, stripes that were so very reminiscent of a taiyoukai she now couldn't get off her mind. She also had the pointed, elven ears of most youkai and every now and then, Kagome could see the shadow of the claws she was hiding.

Eri wasn't the only one. Hojo wasn't quite human either. The brown, bushy tail that flicked from side to side as they spoke made having an intelligent conversation with him nearly impossible. The miko assumed that he had ookami in his blood. It actually made some sick kind of sense. He had always been persistent in his attempts to court her. His behavior had often reminded her of a certain pushy wolf that didn't take no for an answer either. What was it about her that attracted obnoxious, thickheaded males? Was she destined to join a wolf pack one way or another? Gods, she hoped not. She loved Ginta and Hakaku, but she did not want to become a true member of the family. No, she wasn't interested in wolves.

While realizing that people she had known for years secretly carried demon blood was shocking, there was something even more intriguing. Inuyasha couldn't sense them... at all. Sometimes he would walk her to school or accompany her to the store for supplies, and as they went, they passed literally dozens of youkai, hanyou, or whatever percentage they might be. He couldn't see through their disguises, and he couldn't sense their youki in the air around them. It didn't work the other way around, though. Kagome watched, time and time again, as her hanyou best friend caught someone's eye. They looked him over with confusion apparent on their faces. He was a hanyou walking around openly without any kind of concealment, except for the baseball cap that covered his ears. They didn't seem to understand how he could do so, and why no one was stopping him.

Inuyasha walked around blissfully unaware of the changed world, so similar and yet so different from the one his miko was born into. He had no idea of the confusion Kagome suffered on a daily basis as she tried to understand what had changed, why she could see and sense them now when before there wasn't even a hint of the continued existence of youkai. The human population in general was just as much in the dark as Inuyasha. Youkai were still only spoken of in legends, as if they were mystical creatures invented by the minds of those long passed.

There was something else interesting that Kagome couldn't help but note. There were some full youkai, but they seemed to be few and far between. There was an abundance of hanyou, with half-demon blood, but even more with a smaller percentage. There were plenty of quarter-youkai and eighth-youkai as well. There also seemed to be a lot of crossbreeding. Some breeds of youkai were easily recognizable, but others seemed to be interesting blends of things. She knew in the Feudal Era, youkai tended to stick to their own kind, if at all possible. The mixed breeds amazed her. So much must have changed for mixing, not only with humans but also with other kinds of youkai, to be accepted as it so obviously was.

It took her a while to get used to her new sight, but once she had, the miko actually began to enjoy it. Sometimes she would go for walks during which she spent the entire time trying to identify demon breeds. She was inconspicuous as she studied those around her, and no one ever seemed to notice her presence or her attention, not even when she found herself drawn in by an especially interesting looking individual. She didn't allow herself the luxury of doing so often, though. She had a quest to complete, and that wasn't going to happen if she spent all her time in modern Tokyo. If she and her friends didn't succeed in collecting the jewel shards and destroying Naraku, then her era might never exist at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Something had definitely changed. If he thought she dominated his thoughts before, he had been sorely mistaken. Now... Now there was absolutely no escape. The realization that his strange feelings weren't going to go away no matter how hard he wished it, no matter how he pledged to himself that he would never fall so low, that he would still be drawn to her, had changed everything.

Getting over her humanity had been difficult at first. He gave in to the desire to learn more about her and had been stalking her group for some time now. He absorbed every bit of information he could glean about the miko and slowly, bit by bit, his largest objection became irrelevant. She was no typical human, far from it. She was smart and loving, loyal and trusting, accepting of all comers without a hint of prejudgment. She raised an orphaned demon child as her own and always made sure that he had everything he needed before giving a single thought to herself. She was selfless to an extreme degree. Her friends meant everything to her, and she carried so much responsibility on such delicate shoulders.

As if those reasons were not enough, she was absolutely brimming with power. She might not know how to use it yet, but it was there, it was hers, and eventually she would control it. Then she would be nearly invincible. Power was everything to demons, especially in the hunt for a mate. The stronger the female, the stronger the pups that would come from the joining, and any pups she might give him would be unlike anything the world would had ever seen. None could rival their strength, or their beauty. They would be even closer to perfection than he was.

There were so many things about her that spoke to him and eventually, he found that he didn't care anymore that she was human. The pros outweighed that one con a million to one. Her humanity could be dealt with. There were ways to keep her with him far longer than any normal human lifespan. No, her species was no longer an issue. He could make her his mate and not worry about having to protect her constantly from attacks by those that disapproved of human/demon relationships. She would be powerful enough to protect herself, and eventually, all would learn that she was not as vulnerable as she seemed. Their pups would be stronger than either he or she could ever be. Her humanity meant nothing to him any longer.

While that had been an enormous hurdle, as letting go of any long held belief could be, there was one even more challenging that he wasn't sure he could ever overcome. She loved another. Her devotion to the hanyou was obvious. She looked at him with stars in her eyes and no matter how rude and gruff Inuyasha was to her, how ungrateful and sometimes even hateful the boy behaved, her feelings did not fade. She very clearly belonged to his brother, even if the fool didn't want her. No, there was nothing he could do about that.

How could he possibly drag her eyes from the one she loved with all of her heart towards him, someone she believed to be cold and heartless, and that she hated with a vehemence that would make Naraku proud? He couldn't. There simply wasn't a way. She was forever beyond his reach.

That didn't stop him, though. He knew the boy was careless. Yes, Inuyasha had been devoted to her, but that devotion seemed to have faded into an annoying obligation, especially where Kikyo was concerned. He often abandoned his friends, sometimes even during the night as they slept, to visit with the reanimated priestess. He left them defenseless, vulnerable to any that might pass by. It was his responsibility to guard them, to protect them, as they were his pack, and yet he behaved as if only his desires were important. He risked their lives over and over again, and Sesshoumaru could not allow something to happen to her. Even though he would never have her in the way he desired, he could not lose her. Next to Rin, who he saved mostly because of her resemblance to the priestess, Kagome was the only living creature that mattered to him. He realized that he really and truly cared, and yet he couldn't bring himself to stop. He would protect her, even if she never knew he was there.

Inuyasha believed the reanimated miko to be the original and Kagome to be naught but a poor copy, but he saw things a bit differently. Kagome was a brilliant light in a dark world, shining brightly despite the challenges set before her. Kikyo paled in comparison in so many ways. Her beauty couldn't hold a candle to the miko he desired. Her power was but a mere spark while Kagome's was a bolt of lightning cutting through the night. Kikyo's purity was tainted by her anger and hate, while the little miko from the future let nothing darken her skies. Her soul was flawless, more pure than any other being on the planet, despite the hardships in her past and those that lay in her future. No, Kagome was obviously the better of the two, and Inuyasha was a blind fool.

Kagome gave Sesshoumaru something to dedicate his life to, something important, a quest of his own. Nothing was more important than ensuring her safety, not his responsibilities to his lands or to his people; nothing took precedence over protecting her. He lurked in the shadows, masking his scent and aura, watching over her like a guardian angel. In doing so, he witnessed much that made him hate his half-brother more than he ever had before. Every harsh word, every time he put her down or compared her to Kikyo, every time he left her side despite his promise to protect her added to Sesshoumaru's growing rage.

How could she stand it? How could she stay by the half-breed's side when he treated her worse than one might pack omega? She was his alpha female, damn it, and she deserved respect. She was meant to be revered, protected, and provided for, and yet she was made to believe she was worthless. She held their pack together. Without her, none of them would have stayed. Her friendship and love made them all feel like they had found a new home. She was their mother, their sister, their friend, and to Inuyasha, his verbal punching bag and an outlet for all his frustrations. It was completely unacceptable, and yet there was nothing he could do about it.

If he were to interfere, if he were to show himself and teach Inuyasha a lesson he sorely needed to learn, she wouldn't appreciate it. She wouldn't see his actions for what they were. She would think he was attacking the hanyou for the hell of it, and it would only make her hate him more. How he wished he could just snatch her up and run away with her, but she would not take well to that approach either. She would scream for her champion to rescue her from the big bad demon.

Therefore, he sat in silence, gritting his teeth to the point that he feared shattering them, while holding back his true desires. He wanted to love her. He wanted to slaughter his half-brother for his treatment of such an amazing woman. He wanted to protect her from pain, both mental and physical. He wanted to give her everything she deserved, which was so much more than the hanyou supplied. He wanted to give her the world. He wanted to worship her like the goddess she was. He wanted to show Kagome her true value, to make her see that Inuyasha's hateful words were wrong. He wanted to do so until she loved herself as much as he loved her.

He knew, however, that his desires would never come to fruition as long as her heart belonged to the half-breed he hated more each and every day, and she showed no signs of turning away. She promised to always be by his side, and she was true to her word. It nearly killed him watching her heart break more and more because she handed it over to the gruff hanyou who had no idea how to treat it or to protect it. He didn't even want it, and yet she gave it freely. This was going to be the hardest thing he ever had to do in his life.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Kagome had just finished having lunch with her school friends. Everyone else had somewhere to be, which left her alone in the booth, slowly sucking down what remained of her strawberry shake. She was in no hurry to move. There was a hanyou working behind the counter, one of mysterious origins with feathers and a furry tail. It was not a combination she had encountered before. 'Did the cat eat the canary?' she thought wryly. As another customer approached the counter to order, the miko looked away, only to nearly jump out of her skin.

"Where did you come from?"

They were the first words she had spoken to him in this era and, if he hadn't surprised her quite so much, she would have held that thought back as well. She wasn't comfortable with the idea of having a conversation with him, especially knowing that she would be returning to the past in less than an hour. She wondered if Inuyasha would be able to scent him on her. They weren't that close since he slipped into the booth on the opposite side of the table. Hopefully, that would save her an unpleasant confrontation.

Sesshoumaru lifted that damned eyebrow of his, though, she noticed, it was partially obscured by black bangs. His disguise had not begun to fade away, and yet she recognized him all the same, a fact that confused her. She had never seen him for more than a few seconds before he changed. How did she know it was him? Perhaps, she decided, it was more the feel of him, of his youki dancing around her, than his appearance. Still, she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Let me see you," she demanded, only to be surprised again when he gave one slow nod before he began to shimmer and change. She hadn't expected him to give in to her demand. In all honesty, she hadn't intended on making that demand in the first place. It just slipped out.

Kagome stared at him for a long moment, her fingers twitching with the desire to touch the stripes on his cheeks. She knew such a desire was foolish, and that to give into it would be deadly, but that didn't keep her mind from running the thought through once or twice while hypothesizing on just how his skin might feel.

"What do you want?"

The taiyoukai completely ignored her question, turning his focus, instead, to the hanyou she had been analyzing moments ago. "Phoenix mixed with neko. Truly an unimaginable combination, and yet there she stands." His eyes turned to lock with hers before continuing. "Her existence is entirely your doing."

The miko's eyes widened in shock. Not only had he actually spoken to her, and more than three words, which was stunning enough, but how could a hanyou's existence be her doing? "I am neither her mother nor her father. I believe they are the ones responsible for her being alive."

Sesshoumaru's lips curled up in a smirk, further surprising the girl in front of him. "You may not have been directly involved in her conception, but without you, she would not exist. None of them would. Yet you walk amongst them with no idea of your importance. Something shields you so they cannot feel what you really are. If that shield were to fall, anyone with even a drop of youkai blood would know in an instant who you are."

"But I'm no one." She truly believed her own words. Inuyasha had put her down enough times that she no longer bothered to question her worth. She knew she was sorely lacking. She had been the one stupid enough to shatter the Shikon. She had little to no control over her powers, which made her all but useless in the hunt for the jewel shards. She was nothing more than a burden, a dependent that needed to be protected and provided for while she contributed almost nothing to the actual cause. She was a poor copy of Kikyo, and she would never measure up to the dead priestess.

The taiyoukai swallowed a fierce growl as she put herself down. He remembered this stage. He remembered just how hard it had been to build her back up. He hoped that this time around, he might be able to help her more, to give her the confidence she so sorely lacked and so desperately needed. He had an excellent memory, and he knew what was waiting for her when she went back to the past. Only this time, things would be different. His past self would be unable to continue hiding from her, not after today. No, today, everything would change.

"You are not no one, little miko. You are the mother of demons, the mother of us all. You are known, remembered, and revered by every youkai alive today. Without you, without your undying love, your unyielding desire to help, and your unending faith in the good of all beings, we would be gone."

"What?" the miko stammered in confusion. She had never heard Sesshoumaru speak so much in such a short period of time, and the things he said... The words that passed his lips were things she had never expected to hear, especially not from him. He hated humans and despised hanyou, and yet there he was, telling a simple human girl that she was responsible for the continued existence of his kind.

His smirk widened at her reaction. He had known she would be confused, and he wished he could tell her more, but he feared changing too much too fast. What he intended to do would already affect everything.

Deciding not to answer her, Sesshoumaru rose and held out one hand in offering. She hesitated for a long moment before accepting the gesture and placing her hand in his. He pulled her to her feet and guided her through the fast food restaurant towards the bathrooms. He quickly led her inside the women's restroom and locked the door behind them, causing her to look up at him in utter confusion and not a little bit of fear.

She wasn't sure why she took his hand, or why she allowed him to get them alone in an enclosed area with no room for escape. She only knew the taiyoukai as an enemy, and yet somehow, the Sesshoumaru of her time seemed different. She didn't trust him in the least, but there was something about him, about how he looked at her, that caused her to follow him anyway.

"What are you...?"

He cut her off with a finger pressed lightly over her lips and fought down the desire to chuckle at her shock. "Stay still. I promise this will not hurt."

Kagome was frozen in place as the taiyoukai gently tilted her head to the side. The fact that he was actually touching her, a human, had her stunned. He dragged his tongue over the column of her throat, focusing on the area just behind her left ear, sliding over her sweet skin repeatedly. When he was satisfied, he pulled back just enough to bring his hand up. He allowed a minute amount of his poison to flow into the claw of his index finger and quickly carved a crescent moon in the area he prepared. Then he leaned in once again to clean the wound and remove his poison before it could spread throughout her body. The cuts healed before his eyes, leaving a slightly raised scar behind.

When he straightened fully, the miko turned to the mirror, intensely curious about what he had just done. She couldn't see all of the mark, but it was enough to recognize the sign of his house. "What did you do?" she asked in a hiss. "Inuyasha is going to flip out!"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and allowed his memories to flow through his mind, finding that things had, indeed, changed because of his actions. He chuckled aloud as he remembered his reaction to the discovery of the mark she now bore, his absolute elation, and then returned his focus to the miko who was approaching hysterics.

"Inuyasha will forgive you eventually, though it should be him seeking your forgiveness instead. Now, you must understand something. I will never cause you physical harm, no matter the circumstance. I am wholly incapable of doing so now. That mark protects you. You cannot show me fear. You cannot submit. You are my equal. You must be brave and stare me right in the eye. Can you do this?"

Kagome was on the verge of tears as she thought of just how her best friend, the man she loved, would react to this. He would be angry. He would feel betrayed. He would want to know why she hadn't told him about seeing Sesshoumaru in her time before. How could the taiyoukai be so sure he would forgive her? She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply in an attempt to calm herself before turning her focus to what was important.

"What is this mark? What does it mean?"

The miko looked around the empty bathroom in confusion and no small amount of frustration. He disappeared on her! He showed up out of nowhere, gave her a crescent shaped scar, which, by the way, she wasn't thrilled with, and then disappeared without explaining himself. Damn that taiyoukai!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

She was due back today, which meant he needed to get moving. Ever since his decision to follow her, to protect her from the shadows, he used the days she spent in her time to deal with his responsibilities as the Western Lord. His extended absences were questioned in the beginning, but those that dared to voice their curiosity quickly learned that it was none of their business. If he were desperately needed, he would know. His connection with the land would make sure of that. Everything else could and would wait. Most of the demons residing in his palace, both those of the court and the servants who met their every need, simply assumed that he was patrolling his lands, something he spent a great deal of time doing in the past.

He hated being in the palace. He could find no peace there. Women were always throwing themselves at him, some even going to the extent of sneaking into his private chambers and spreading their naked bodies across his bedding, hoping to tempt him. Those, especially, learned the hard way that he had no interest in their feminine wiles. It wasn't just the women, however. The men were just as bad, trying to press him into mating their daughters while attempting to ingratiate themselves in the hopes of gaining his favor, and thus a better position in his kingdom. Until he took a mate, the foolishness would continue, and probably even after, as the whores of the court sought to become his mistresses, as if he would ever be disloyal to his mate. Between the people and the paperwork, the palace was a tedious place. He was actually rather thankful that Kagome gave him an excuse to be away, even if no one else ever knew what he was up to.

She had been gone for a whole week and, while he had gotten a lot of paperwork done, any time spent outside of his private study, where no one dared to disturb him, was torture. Really, the whole time was torture because he found out quite early on that he missed her when she was gone. He ached to hear her voice, to smell her scent, to admire her soft curves, to see the beauty of her smile. He desperately needed to be in her presence, even though she had no idea he was there. That need made the waiting hell.

He knew he wasn't the only one who mourned her absence. The kit was always depressed until she returned. The group never got along quite the same while she was away. The slayer and the monk would stay close, despite his wandering hand, but their relationship with the hanyou always seemed strained. Of course, for that to occur, Inuyasha actually had to be present, which he rarely was anymore. As soon as Kagome went through the well, he was off, passing the time with Kikyo, which angered everyone because they knew how much it would hurt their beloved miko when she found out, and she always found out. It was obvious that the half-breed didn't care what they thought, however, as he ignored their protests and did as he pleased, like he always did.

Sesshoumaru always prided himself on being there when she returned, even if it meant waiting in the clearing for hours, sometimes even days if she hadn't been clear about how long she would be gone. Half the time, Inuyasha forgot that it was time to collect her, which left her to travel to the village on her own if her other friends didn't anticipate the hanyou's absence, making her vulnerable and in need of his protection. Anything could happen to a beautiful, innocent female walking through the forest alone, and it was thoughts like those that made his silent vigil all the more important. Nothing would happen to her on his watch, and it was always his watch.

Checking the position of the sun, the taiyoukai decided it was time to make his way to the well. She had promised to return by sundown, but there was always the possibility of her arriving early, and so he would be there hours in advance, just waiting to see her again. Without a word to anyone, owing no one an explanation, Sesshoumaru walked out onto his balcony and formed his youki cloud, floating his way quickly towards the well. The closer he got, the greater his anticipation became. He needed to see her, needed her presence like most beings needed air, and days spent without her was like holding his breath and left him feeling weak and useless. She was his one true purpose. Protecting her was all that mattered. Everything else in his life was merely filler.

Approaching the clearing that housed the Bone Eater's Well, he hid his presence and claimed his usual perch. One thing all this watching had done was teach him patience. Hours later found him in the same spot, his eyes still trained on the time portal while his other senses scanned the area for any other presences, searching for possible threats. Sundown was closing in, and Sesshoumaru was surprised as he felt his half-brother approaching. The fool had actually remembered to come and claim her this time.

Inuyasha leapt into the clearing and began pacing around the well, muttering impatiently, as if he expected her to sense the moment of his arrival and come just then so as to not keep him waiting. It was obvious how little the half-breed valued the priestess. He would wait for her forever, and yet his half-brother couldn't stand just a few minutes without complaints.

It was amazing, almost unfathomable, how much had changed between them, and the change was entirely on Inuyasha's side. Once Kikyo had been revived, Kagome's importance to him waned drastically. Despite that, she was still the source of his power. He never fought quite as well when she was gone, and yet he had no clue as to why. It never dawned on him that his strength came from his desire to protect her. Yes, she was still important to him, but less for her friendship and love, and more for her ability to see the shards of the shattered Shikon jewel. It was as if he was completely unaware of how he changed, which only made it hurt more for the little miko, whose feelings of love for the hanyou had not changed at all.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Just as the sun began to dip below the horizon, a swell of magic rose out of the depths of the well and spread across the clearing. Rather than help her out, however, Inuyasha just stood there tapping his damn foot like she was wasting his precious time. Kagome climbed up the vines growing along the inner walls of her time portal, a difficult task considering just how much her full pack was weighing her down.

Already, the taiyoukai was clenching his teeth, angry at the hanyou's thoughtlessness. She was bringing back supplies for their pack, including his beloved ramen, and yet he couldn't be bothered to help her up. She was a human woman! She shouldn't be expected to haul all that weight around, let alone have to climb a good fifteen feet to the surface with it strapped to her back. There were nothing but vines for her to use to get out of the well, which might break, causing her to fall and suffer a serious injury.

Finally, she came into sight. At first, it was just one hand, which gripped tightly to the old rotting wood. Then another hand joined the first and, as she pulled herself higher, a crown of black-blue locks rose from the darkness. She hauled herself up until she could lean her waist on the ledge and then rolled off into the grass with a tired sigh, shrugging off her pack. She looked up at the impatient Inuyasha and huffed in frustration.

"You couldn't give me a hand?" she exclaimed, quickly climbing to her feet.

Looking her over, Sesshoumaru frowned. She was tense, more so than usual. Something was wrong. Something had happened in her time to cause her distress, which sent his beast into a tizzy. She was supposed to be safe in her era. They couldn't follow her there! He tried to pass through in the hopes of learning more about that half of her life, but he merely landed on the dirt at the bottom of the long shaft, glaring up at the blue sky as if it had wronged him. He didn't like the idea that she was vulnerable in a place he couldn't go and protect her.

"Did you remember the ramen, wench?" the hanyou demanded, rudely ignoring her question, just as he had also ignored the fact that she had needed his help.

"Of course I brought the ramen! Have I ever forgotten the ramen? No! Gee, it's nice to see you again, too, Inuyasha," she muttered.

The hanyou seemed completely oblivious to her distress, not noticing how she seemed intent on keeping him at a distance. She kept tilting her head to the left as if trying to hide that side of her neck, and every time Inuyasha moved, she moved as well, almost evasively, ensuring that he always was on her right side. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, trying to determine a possible cause for her odd behavior. Something was definitely going on, and not knowing what made him nervous.

"Come on then, wench. Why are we just standing here?" Inuyasha moved close as if he planned on tossing her onto his back as he often did, and she shied away, pulling back as if fearing he would hurt her. "What the fuck, Kagome? What's your problem?"

He tried to circle her and again, she tilted her head drastically, lifting her shoulder until it touched her ear while trying to turn away. Sesshoumaru watched as suspicion bled into the hanyou's eyes, his younger half-brother taking in a deep pull of her scent.

"The fuck, Kagome?!" he practically screamed, moving faster than she could, grabbing a fistful of her hair and jerking her head to the right so he could see the left side of her neck. "Where did this come from? Were you sneaking around with my fucking brother?"

Now Sesshoumaru was utterly confused, but even more outraged at the way his half-brother was handling her. He was basically dragging her around the clearing by her hair as she let out little squeaks of pain. The scent of fear flooded the area, and he knew that something was desperately wrong. Still, there was truly nothing he could do. If he showed himself, she would find herself tucked behind the hanyou for 'protection'. She wouldn't understand that he was trying to rescue her, and his presence would likely make the situation worse, so he stayed still and silent, just watching while adding to the mental tally of Inuyasha's crimes against her, crimes he would someday pay for.

If things grew worse, he might have to intervene, but only if it were absolutely necessary. He couldn't protect her from her protector, the fact of which made him feel impotent, absolutely useless. What good was he, sneaking around in the shadows, if he couldn't help her?

"It wasn't my fault, Inuyasha! He was there, in my time! I didn't know what he was doing until it was done. What is it? What does it mean?" Kagome was bent nearly in half in an attempt to ease the pain of his rough tugging, stumbling closer to lessen the tension on her hair. Inuyasha kept moving, however, dragging her along with him.

"In your time? Sesshoumaru, my evil, cold, ass of a brother was in your time?"

"Yes! I've seen him a few times, but this was the first time he approached me, and then he did this!" she exclaimed while gesturing towards whatever was on her neck, the source of her distress and Inuyasha's anger.

"You've seen him before and never told me?" he practically snarled. "What, were you hoping to upgrade?"

Ah, the hanyou's insecurities reared their ugly heads once more as he assumed that Kagome was conspiring against him. He couldn't truly believe that she accepted him for who and what he was, and so he was always expecting abandonment and betrayal. Sesshoumaru couldn't understand the half-breed's lack of trust in the sweet little miko. Her devotion to him shone brightly for everyone to see, and yet his half-brother questioned it, completely missing the depth of her love.

"What? No! I didn't know what he wanted! He would just, I don't know, stare at me. I didn't tell you because I knew you would freak out, and there was nothing you could really do about it. I thought he was just doing it to mess with your head, that he wanted me to tell you so it would make you insane. Now let go of my hair!" she demanded loudly.

"Or what, bitch? You gonna scream for your new alpha? You really think he'd come and save you? If Sesshoumaru was walking by, he wouldn't even pause to look while I beat the shit out of you, let alone come to your rescue."

"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, her fear quickly growing into terror as the man she loved tugged harder on her hair, hissing more threats in her ear. She never thought he would hurt her, not even while she worried about what his reaction to whatever Sesshoumaru did to her would be. She trusted him with her life and, at that moment, she was wondering if her trust was misplaced.


	8. Chapter 8

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Chapter 8

From his perch, Sesshoumaru watched it all, his mind swirling with confusion, trying to figure out what was going on. He wasn't surprised that he survived another five hundred years to her era, even though he heard Kagome speak on the marked lack of demons in her time. But why would he approach her there, then? And what could he have possibly done that upset the hanyou so badly that he would threaten her with physical harm? Had the half-breed meant him when he said she had a new alpha?

Inuyasha yanked harder on her hair and Kagome yelped in pain. She twisted in an attempt to get away, and then he spotted it. It was only a second, a rather blurred view, but he was still certain of what he saw. The beautiful miko bore his mark. She was pack. She was his. It was as if his brain was working in slow motion as all these things dawned on him, but the instant it clicked, he was on the ground, his hand wrapped firmly around the hanyou's wrist, red bleeding into his eyes.

"Let her go, you fool," he growled dangerously, his words rough as he barely clung to the threads of his usually exemplary control. She was his, and someone was hurting her. He would end it now. He ignored her scream of shock at his sudden appearance. He expected that kind of reaction, but he would not stand by and watch this a moment longer. She was his, and once she was safe, he would find a way to explain to her just what that meant.

At first, Inuyasha thought to refuse, but the look in his older half-brother's eyes told him that to do so would be very, very detrimental to his health. He loosened his fingers, watching in his peripheral vision as Kagome slipped out of his grasp and put a good distance between herself and them.

How Sesshoumaru wished he had two arms at this moment in time, because he ached to wrap one hand around the half-breed's throat while punching him swiftly and repeatedly in the stomach. Instead, he settled for giving him a taste of his own medicine. The taiyoukai released his grip on his wrist, instantly having a fistful of wild silver hair instead. He caught it close to the scalp, right by the roots, and he smirked wickedly as he realized that one very sensitive ear was caught as well.

"You knew the instant you saw my mark upon her flesh," Sesshoumaru growled viciously, tugging the hanyou around the clearing by his hair just as he had done to the delicate little miko. "You knew that she is now mine to protect, and yet you continued to assault her? You dared threaten her with physical violence? To beat her? Did you truly believe your own words, Inuyasha? That I would do nothing to save her? I have honor, unlike the hanyou filth before me now. I would never abandon what is mine."

Kagome stumbled backwards until she was sitting on the edge of the well, watching what was happening in front of her with wide eyes. The pain in her scalp was instantly forgotten as she watched Sesshoumaru yank Inuyasha around the clearing by his hair like a rag doll. Every snarled word etched itself in her mind as Sesshoumaru, The Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, Killing Perfection, The Aristocratic Assassin, the second most hateful being she ever crossed paths with, defended her. He was punishing Inuyasha for how he treated her!

What was this mark he had given her, the other Sesshoumaru, the one five hundred years this one's senior? He kept saying she was his, and though she didn't appreciate being referred to as a possession, she couldn't help but think he didn't mean it that way. She was his to protect. He said so. If that were true, and she had no reason to question his honesty, then she was the safest girl in the world, at least from everyone else. How he felt about her being forced upon him, on the other hand, worried her.

Inuyasha let out an especially painful sounding yelp, just moments before Sango and Miroku came sliding into the clearing, having sensed Sesshoumaru's immense aura the second he revealed himself. Shocked at the sight, and yet somehow not surprised that their brotherly battles had devolved into hair pulling, Kagome's friends made their way around the pair to the miko's side. They both checked her over quickly, looking for injuries and finding none. Of course, they couldn't see her aching scalp, which she was certain was bright red and would probably even bruise. Still, she seemed off to them, dazed, and they were instantly concerned.

"Kagome, did he hurt you?" Sango asked, fear in her voice.

The miko merely nodded, never taking her eyes off the spectacle happening right before her eyes.

"Sesshoumaru?" Miroku attempted to clarify.

Kagome shook her head before pointing at the hanyou. "He... he tried to rip my hair right out of my head. He... threatened to beat me. I've never seen him like that before."

"Inuyasha did?" the slayer exclaimed, rage filling her.

"Calm yourself, my love. He is already being punished in a much more severe fashion than you could ever accomplish yourself. What I do not understand is why."

The miko tilted her head far to the right, showing off the slightly raised scar on the left side of her neck in the shape of a crescent moon. Sango's eyes widened and a gasp ripped from her throat at the sight.

"Kagome!"

"Not now," she said softly. Something was about to happen. Sesshoumaru's angry, snarling words had ceased and right before her eyes, he flung the hanyou into the forest by his hair, smirking viciously when his body collided with a broad tree trunk with a loud crack. He waited a moment, making sure the fool was incapacitated, before turning his focus towards the well.

His eyes were glowing red, his markings jagged, and Kagome didn't doubt that if he got any angrier, they would be dealing with a massive dog that drooled acid and could crush them all beneath one paw. Sango and Miroku both tensed and moved to rise, ready to protect their friend, the most important member of their pack. They were shocked when the miko stood and brushed past them, approaching the out of control demon.

Inside, she was terrified, but she hadn't forgotten his words. He couldn't hurt her. She was supposed to be brave, to not submit, to stare him right in the eyes while showing no fear, and so she did just that. Sango moved to stop her, knowing that making eye contact was basically challenging his dominance. Her extensive knowledge on demon behavior told her that the miko needed to look at the ground and tilt her head to the side, exposing her throat in a show of submission, but Kagome was doing the opposite.

Miroku caught her before she made it two steps. There was something about the way Sesshoumaru was looking at the miko that told him everything would be all right. It would be supremely different, as if they'd stepped into a whole new world, but Kagome was safe. She was safer than she had ever been before.

Sesshoumaru was clawing for control, fighting with everything he had to regain the ground he lost to his beast in his outrage. She was human, miko, and she knew instinctively and from experience that a red eyed demon was dangerous. She had personally witnessed him transforming into his true form. She knew the signs. The last thing he wanted was her fear and as he stared into her deep blue eyes, he realized that she was showing none. She might be feeling it inside, but she held tight to her emotions, showing him bravery instead. He stepped closer and she did the same, never breaking eye contact, never looking away.

She breathed slowly and deeply, struggling to keep from shaking like a leaf under his powerful gaze. Slowly, the red faded away; burning, swirling gold taking its place, and she visibly relaxed. He smirked. He couldn't help it. It was like she knew. This human girl seemed to understand her new place as she refused to submit, though he could tell that her instincts were screaming for her to do just that.

He reached out and brushed his fingers through her hair, tucking the unruly strands, wild due to the hanyou's rough handling, behind her ear. She tensed once more but still refused to look away. A purring growl began deep in his chest as he prepared to do something he never thought possible.

Just a few more steps and the distance between them shrunk until she was craning her neck to continue the eye contact while he gazed down at her. His eyes fell closed and she gasped, shocked that he ended their staring contest and he let her win. A squeak escaped her as he leaned down and brushed his cheek softly against hers.

With a gentle nudge, he tipped her head to the right, exposing his mark, finally getting a good look at it. He breathed her scent in deeply, noting a hint of his poison, along with his saliva, coating the area. That mark had been placed no more than two hours ago, though it had happened five hundred years from now. Even though he knew she might not react positively, he couldn't resist, and the taiyoukai dragged his tongue over the raised scar that marked her as pack, listening, as she seemed to choke on air at the contact. She tasted so good that he repeated the action, taking his time and soaking in the experience, unsure if she would ever allow it to happen again.

He had a very limited pack, consisting of Rin, Ah Un, and, though he questioned his inclusion frequently, Jaken. He had always believed that he needed no one. He lived a solitary life by choice, but the miko had changed that. She taught him the compassion that brought the little girl back to life and caused him to allow her to follow him, that led him to treat the child as if she were his own pup. That mark on Kagome's throat made her pack, permanently. Her place in the hanyou's pack had always been honorary, as the half-breed had never marked her. Now that she had been, no one could take her away from him. As there was only one other female in his small pack, nothing but a child, it meant that she was his alpha female. She would have been anyway, however, even if his pack contained dozens of females, as he valued no one above her. She was his equal, his partner, and now he just might have a chance to make her his mate.

She would never be alone with Inuyasha again. He knew she would insist on continuing her quest to collect the jewel shards and defeat Naraku, and he would join her. He would never try to stop her from doing something she was so passionate about. Instead, he would be there to help her, to keep her safe, to support her in every way possible while doing everything in his power to heal the damage his foolish half-brother had done to her heart.

Now that they would be together constantly, he felt that he might have a chance at winning her heart and earning her love. Surely not even this compassionate, forgiving angel could look past what Inuyasha had done to her today. Now she would have to realize that he would never love her, and that she deserved better. He would do everything he could to help her come to that realization, even if it meant listing the hanyou's crimes against her one by one, and that was not a short list by any means.

Contact with the half-breed would be limited, at best. He would not allow his brother to hurt her any further. It might upset her if she still believed she loved the fool, but he would not risk her safety. Inuyasha had proven himself unworthy of her trust while at the same time making it obvious that he was a danger she needed to be protected from.

He would take this time with her to show her how he felt, to attempt to win her over. He would show her she deserved to be treated like the goddess she was. Now that she was his, he could truly give her everything. He could shower her with gifts: a brand new kimono every single day, jewel encrusted hair combs, anything she wanted, though he had a feeling she would have no interest in his wealth or the traditional wardrobe of this era. She was far too stubborn to allow herself to be dressed up like a doll and shown around as if she were little more than livestock. He would never do that to her. She would not trail along behind him, eyes lowered submissively. No, she would walk by his side, head held high. He adored her strength, her individuality. He loved her just the way she was, and he would never try to change a thing about her, except, of course, her lifespan. Now that she was truly his, he refused to lose her to time.

She hadn't moved, hadn't protested the way he continued to trail his tongue over her flesh, covering not just his mark but the rest of her throat, as well. Feeling especially bold, considering this was by far the best day of his life; he nibbled gently at her earlobe, soaking in the little moan that escaped without her permission.

"Mine," he murmured possessively. "No one will ever harm you again."

She pulled away slightly, much to his disappointment, and locked eyes with him again. "This mark, what does it mean?"

Sesshoumaru's lips quirked up at the corners and, for once, it didn't look malicious. It grew slowly until it was a genuine smile, the first, he was certain, to ever grace his lips since he reached adulthood centuries ago. "It means you are a member of my pack, permanently. No one, and I mean no one, can change that now. I am your alpha," he started, knowing that she would protest such a thing, and he merely shook his head as she opened her mouth. "And you, miko, are mine."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Sorry it's a few days late. I got all fangirl about yarn.

Chapter 9

She just couldn't handle it any longer. Sango was talking a mile a minute, terrified that she was losing her sister to the most frightening demon she ever laid eyes on while Miroku did everything in his power to get her to calm down. Shippo, who managed to slip past Kaede and join the others, despite her best efforts to keep him in her hut, was wailing as if she died. Inuyasha had woken up but couldn't move much beyond pulling himself into a seated position leaned against the tree that had ended his short flight. The hanyou was cursing up a storm, making vile accusations about her loyalty and innocence. He was behaving as if she were a creature with no morals, and she was beyond offended that he assumed she had given herself to his half-brother, their enemy, in such a way. She heard the word 'whore' more than enough times in the last few minutes, thank you very much.

Then there was Sesshoumaru. He was still looking at her with that... that face of his. His emotionless mask had returned, that genuine smile long gone, though the strangest warmth could be found in his eyes. If she didn't know better, she would say that he looked... happy. He did not object as she backed away, and he didn't follow after her, either. He just stood like a statue as she seated herself on the edge of the well once more. Her thoughts were flying through her mind, and she was beyond overwhelmed. Completely over the situation happening around her, Kagome did the only thing she could think of. She tipped backwards and fell into the well, travelling safely to her era, where she would have some time to think.

The miko looked up, sighing in relief at the sight of fading sunlight peeking between the old boards that made up the roof of the well house. She was home. She sat staring into the darkness around her while holding her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth almost compulsively. She couldn't really go inside, not unless she wanted to explain why she returned so soon after leaving, and she just didn't feel up to that. No, she would sit out here in the well house and mull over the last half hour. Hell, she might not even climb out of the well at all. The ground beneath her was soft and cool, and it smelled musty, like potting soil. It was familiar and familiar was a good thing right about then.

Her comfort didn't last long, however, as something else very familiar made itself known. Her eyes narrowed in outrage at the feel of his youki in the air, and she rose, quickly climbing the ladder to the surface. She spotted him immediately, sitting on the short staircase leading down to the well, one elbow resting on his knee with his chin in his palm, not a hint of his disguise apparent. He looked as if he had every right to be there, which only made her angrier.

"You," she hissed darkly.

"Me," he replied flatly, rising to his impressive height as she made it to her feet before him. He was at least half a head taller than the long-legged miko and, if the urge struck him, he was at the perfect level to press his lips to her forehead. He was tempted to do just that, though he doubted it would receive the desired response.

She stomped closer, words swirling in her mind, begging to get out. She was only so happy to oblige. "You! Why would you do this?" She slammed her closed fists against his chest, hitting over and over again as she screamed. "He hates me now! Do you understand that? You've completely ruined my life! You ripped away every single one of my dreams! I have nothing left now! Nothing but _you_," she hissed with distaste.

"Have you finished?" he asked, his tone still emotionless.

"No! Damn it, he hates me! I love him, and he hates me!"

Kagome missed the small wrinkles that formed at the corners of his eyes as he mentally winced. Even now, five hundred years later, it hurt to hear her say that. Little did he know, it was only going to get worse. Her little fists continued to pound against his chest, and he feared she would give herself bruises, but he allowed her to continue, knowing she needed to get it out.

"What in the hell were you thinking? Why would you think this was a good idea? Why would you mark me? I don't want to be stuck with you forever, you hateful, sadistic bastard! Did you do this to hurt him? You didn't hurt him! You hurt me! He hates me, and I hate you," she finished with a snarl, her fingers now curling in the lapels of his jacket, clinging to him instead of hitting.

Sesshoumaru's heart ached, but he had known she would need to vent. That was why he was there, awaiting her return. He remembered how she disappeared soon after the confrontation with his half-brother ended. He watched her go and did nothing to try to stop her. He understood that it was too much all at once. That knowledge reaffirmed itself as the scent of salt assaulted his nose. She was crying, clinging desperately to his jacket as if he was her only connection to the world, and he allowed it.

She jumped when his arms wrapped around her waist, feeling as one began to run soothingly up and down her back. That wasn't the reaction she had been expecting. She thought she would anger him, hoped that he would realize he made a mistake, and take it back. Surely, the one who did the marking could undo it, as well. She didn't want to be tied to him forever. That was just about the last thing she wanted.

"You're a monster," she whispered while tears poured down her cheeks, staining expensive imported fabric that had been tailored to fit him perfectly. "What am I going to do now?"

"You are going to be safe," he replied, his tone softening.

"How? Do you intend to lock me away in a stone tower like Rapunzel?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled softly, the sound startling her. "I would never do such a thing. A light like yours needs to be shared with the world, not smothered."

Kagome ignored his rather sweet response, her mind returning once again to the most devastating part of this whole situation. "He _hates_ me!"

A low growl began to rumble in his chest, and he fought the desire to smirk as she relaxed, her forehead pressed to his chest. "He does not hate you. He is angry, yes, but he will get over it. He will forgive you, though, as I said before, _he_ is the one who should be begging for forgiveness, not you."

"He didn't mean to hurt me," she said while her lower lip quivered. She couldn't believe that. Inuyasha would never willingly hurt her. He fought to his very last breath to protect her! He would never injure her purposely. He was just caught off guard and hadn't known how to react, that was all.

"If he hadn't intended to hurt you, he would not have done so. He did exactly what intended. He does not deserve your loyalty or your love."

"What the hell would you know about love? You don't feel anything but hatred, anger, and arrogance," she replied, her tone turning spiteful, despite the fact that she was still wrapped in his arms.

Sesshoumaru shook his head slowly. How he ached to tell her the truth, that he most certainly knew how to love, because he loved her, but she would never accept that. Not now. Not yet. That didn't mean he couldn't hint, though. "There are two sides to every coin, Kagome. You have only glimpsed one side of this Sesshoumaru, though I am more than willing to show you the other."

"Being stuck with you is going to be a nightmare, a living hell. I might as well have been kidnapped by Naraku. At least then, maybe Inuyasha wouldn't blame me."

That one really hurt, but he brushed it off, allowing his memories to flow through his mind, remembering all the good times, the slow but steady progress he made towards winning her heart. The prize at the end of this rocky road was well worth the long walk with bare feet. The fool of a hanyou was the biggest obstacle along that road, but eventually he would help her overcome her puppy love for the half-breed, all the while showing her the better option: him.

They stood there in silence for what felt like forever until she found that she ran out of tears. Shaking, she pulled back and looked up into his eyes once again. "Why did you do this?"

"Because I needed a push in the right direction," he replied cryptically. "Hiding in the shadows would never get me what I so desperately desired."

"And what did you desire?" she asked, afraid of his reply.

"Hn" he hummed, refusing to answer, before pressing his lips to her forehead, finally giving in to the urge he had been feeling since she first approached. It felt odd, almost like he was cheating, but her skin was just as soft as he remembered. Being there at that moment, even though he never did so before, felt like he was reliving a memory, an echo of the past.

He didn't know why he seemed to be outside of the timeline, why he was able to remember the way things had been before something was changed, why he could remember what happened instead, as well. He even remembered the way he died, back before he met the miko in his past, when all demons had gone extinct. He had been the only one left, the strongest, but eventually even he had fallen. It was his assumption that her arrival in the Feudal Era, her releasing Inuyasha from the spell that had held him for fifty years, had been the cause of the first ripple, the first change, the one that allowed him to survive to her time, though at that point, he had been the only one.

The memories overlapped sometimes as different paths, caused by different choices, piled up around him, which could get confusing. Still, whatever was happening right then, the path they were all on, was the strongest, the clearest. When he discovered that he could change his past through her, he jumped at the chance, completely ignoring the fact that messing with time could be dangerous. Fixing things was far more important, and he intended to make sure he did things right this time. If not, well, then he would make a few more changes. He changed so much by changing so little, bit by bit, as he poked and prodded the timeline into what he desired it to be. He would continue on. He would interfere again and again until things ended the way he wanted them to, the way he was certain it was really meant to be.

She pulled away as if his soft kiss had burned her, and she turned, weak-kneed, to sit on the edge of the well once again. "My life is over," she whispered, sounding as if she lost all hope.

"No, it has only just begun. Remember, Kagome. The fate of all demons rests on your shoulders. Be strong and, most importantly, open-minded. I will keep you safe, but you will have to do the rest."

The miko shook her head, unable to deal with his riddles any more than she was able to handle everyone in the past. She couldn't decide where to be. Here, alone, with this confusing and strangely affectionate Sesshoumaru who had willingly and knowingly destroyed any chance she had at true love, or in the past with an equally strange but much more familiar Sesshoumaru and all of her companions, including an outraged Inuyasha filled with nothing but hate for her. It really was six of one and a half dozen of the other, but in the end, she settled on the past, where she would have her friends to help her figure this all out. Besides, this Sesshoumaru, in her era, obviously wasn't going to tell her anything of worth. If she wanted to know what effects the mark would have on her life, she would have to speak with the Feudal Era taiyoukai.

Decision made, she shot him a sad smile and tipped back, just as she had the last time, allowing the magic to cradle her while she traveled through time and back to the past.

Sesshoumaru straightened his suit as much as possible before stepping up and sliding the well house door open. A woman with dark hair was waiting just outside, and he nodded at her.

"You made her cry," she said softly, studying him appraisingly. "But she made you cry, as well." He wiped at his wet cheeks in surprise and realized that the woman was right. Luckily, Kagome hadn't noticed in the darkness, because that would only have confused her more. "Things are okay now. You don't have to keep doing this."

"And yet we both know that I will."


	10. Chapter 10

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Chapter 10

When she turned up back in the past, Sesshoumaru was both relieved and concerned. The scent of her tears was almost overwhelming. He could smell it before she even fully materialized. He would have helped her out of the well the way a gentleman should, but he was rather occupied at the moment. Instead, he watched from the corner of his eye as the monk reached down into the well and hauled her up into the darkness of the clearing, lit only by a sliver of the moon and a sky full of stars. She was instantly wrapped in the slayer's arms and, after trying and failing to find a good spot, Shippo forced his way between their bodies, scaling the miko like a tree until he was clinging to her abdomen desperately.

Kagome ran her fingers through messy red hair while hugging Sango with her free hand, laughing softly, though it sounded hollow. "It's okay, guys. I'm fine." Her laughter ended sharply, and her voice turned determined. "I'm fine, and I'm not going anywhere. I don't care what Sesshoumaru has to say about it. I didn't ask for this mark, and I don't want it. I plan on acting like it doesn't exist." Pulling away and looking up, she spotted the battle happening a short distance away and sighed, slightly disappointed by the fact that the taiyoukai probably hadn't heard her little speech. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since Inuyasha could drag himself to his feet, maybe a minute or two after you left. Why did you leave?"

The miko huffed. "Because you were hysterical, Inuyasha wouldn't stop calling me a whore, Shippo was wailing, and him... He was just staring at me. I couldn't take it. I had to get away."

"And did it help?" Miroku asked.

She opened and closed her sore hands a few times before sighing. "It seems like I can't be without him no matter when I am."

Not having heard the part of the fight with Inuyasha when she explained that Sesshoumaru in her time had marked her, they had no idea what she was talking about, and their faces showed just that. Everyone's eyes were drawn to the battling brothers at the sound ripping fabric and flesh, along with a string of curses, before their focus returned to their conversation.

"Sesshoumaru marked me, yeah, but not this one. He's alive in my time, and he apparently thinks he's welcome to screw with my life. And when I went back, hoping for a little quiet, the ass was there, waiting for me."

"Why did he mark you? Did he say?"

Kagome shrugged noncommittally. "He said he needed 'a push in the right direction', whatever the hell that means. He's manipulating the past, and my life, like it's some kind of stupid game. I should have purified him."

There was a loud crash and moments later; Kagome felt hot breath on the back of her neck. She tensed, suspecting just who was behind her, and she was right. "Do you really believe you are capable of purifying this Sesshoumaru?" he practically purred in her ear, his voice rolling over her like warm honey.

"I might not get all of you, but I'm sure I could remove a few key parts," she hissed back, ignoring the way Sango's eyes bulged at her words and her tone. Miroku didn't look much better, and Shippo had stopped breathing completely as they all waited for the taiyoukai's reaction to her disrespect.

He leaned closer, allowing his lips to brush the shell of her ear, holding back a smirk as she shuddered. "They would grow back, miko."

She let out a curt little laugh and pulled away, turning to stare into his eyes. "Maybe, eventually, but it would hurt like hell, and it might knock you down a few pegs. Can't you just see it? Lord Sesshoumaru, completely incapable of pleasing a woman because he lacks the essential equipment. Oh, how they would talk. After all, it took you five hundred years to get _that_ back," she said while flicking at the fabric of his empty sleeve.

He knew everyone was expecting him to be angry. They were tense, clutching their weapons, fully convinced that they would have to try to protect her from his wrath. Really, no one had ever spoken to him as she was and lived to tell about it, but he honestly didn't mind. She was talking to him. That was more than he expected. She was also absolutely smothered in his scent, which meant that when she went back to her time, and he was waiting, they were in close physical contact. That had to mean something. He didn't know what, but he knew it was important. Had he soothed her as she cried? Had she allowed him to hold her? How could he manage that here, in this time?

He couldn't, and he knew it. There, he was at the right place at the right time, and she obviously didn't fear him the way she did here. Sure, she was hiding it and putting on a tough face, but she still reeked of fear. Why, then, was she challenging him? Did she want to make him angry? Did she think that he would leave her behind if she offended him enough? That was never going to happen, and he set out to tell her just that.

"Listen to me, miko, and listen well. You can say whatever you want. You can curse me in every way you can think of. You can even attempt to purify me if it would make you feel better, but that mark isn't going anywhere, and neither am I. You are pack, my alpha female, and I will never leave you unprotected, especially not with that violent whelp you so adore."

"Violent? Did you just call Inuyasha violent? Really?" She scoffed. "You have more blood on your claws than there is water in the ocean. You've taken more lives than there are stars in the sky."

"And I would not hesitate to take another if it meant keeping you safe. Not even his."

He could see her anger rising and wished there was something he could do to calm her. He didn't want her upset. He wanted her happy, always as happy as she could possibly be. He didn't like the scent of salt on her skin and he feared that the tears would return if their confrontation continued, but he could not back down. He would not return to the shadows to protect her from a distance. She was his, and all he wanted was to pull her close, to nuzzle her cheek, to nip at her ear, and drag his tongue over his mark on her skin. He would remain at her side no matter what she said or did. She was finally his, and while he didn't understand why his future self had done it, he was thankful. That mark had forced him to take a step today that he might never have taken otherwise.

"You won't touch him," she hissed.

"I certainly would and most definitely will if he makes it necessary. Did you so quickly forget what he did to you not thirty minutes ago? What he threatened to do? How can you defend him? How can you love him?"

That was apparently the wrong thing to say, as he saw tears well up in the corners of her eyes. He wanted to take it all back, to beg her not to cry, but he couldn't. It would be a lie. He would happily slaughter his only surviving relative if it meant keeping her safe. The fool deserved death already for what he had done to her.

Just as he was about to open his mouth again in an effort to stave off the waterworks, he heard the hanyou force himself to his feet once more. He bit back a growl and turned to focus on the enemy. The whelp honestly thought that he could defeat him and force him to leave her behind. In truth, Sesshoumaru didn't mind beating him into submission repeatedly. The half-breed had so many crimes to pay for; so many tears to atone for, so much hurt that he hadn't been able to protect her from. Never again.

"Get the fuck away from her, you prick!" Inuyasha hollered. "You can't have her!"

Sesshoumaru chuckled darkly. "She may not desire to be with me, but she will never be with you again. Shall we tell your companions what you did? How you treated her? How you hurt her and threatened her? You wished to punish her for something she had no control over. What kind of alpha are you? You do not deserve the pack you have and without her, they will abandon you one by one."

"You're not taking me away from them!" Kagome exclaimed. "I don't care who you think you are! These are my friends, my pack. I'm not going anywhere with you!"

The taiyoukai ignored Inuyasha's laugh and turned back towards the miko. "Then I will be by your side. I understand the importance of your quest, as well as how much your companions mean to you. However, never, and I will not waver on this, you will _never_ be alone with him again. I will not give him the opportunity to attack you again."

"Why do you even care? Because your future self cut a shape into my neck? I don't need you to protect me. I don't want you around. Don't feel obligated to do anything for me. I don't want it!"

"I care because you are pack. That shape on your neck symbolizes the commitment I have made to you. Whether I did it five minutes ago or five hundred years from now, I claimed you, and I will stand by it." He ached to tell her why he really cared. Yes, he was thrilled she was finally pack; but that wasn't why he cared. He already cared more about her than any other living creature, even himself. "Would you rather I sat back and watched him brutalize you?"

Something had dawned on the hanyou while listening to his older half-brother speak, and a wicked smirk showed on his face. It was made even darker by the shadows surrounding him and when Kagome looked in his direction, she shivered reflexively. She knew she shouldn't be afraid of her protector, but after what he did, she couldn't help it. Still, she tried to hide it from everyone. Things were screwed up enough already.

"You did sit back and watch," Inuyasha said as he slowly approached, watching the taiyoukai carefully, waiting for the next attack. "How else would you know what I said, and what I did? How would you know why I was angry? Some fucking alpha you are. You sat and watched."

No, that didn't make him look too good, but the hanyou was a fool because his words made him look even worse. "So you admit what you have done?"

"Well, I..." Inuyasha stammered, looking into the angry eyes of his companions.

"I did not know she was mine, as I was not the one to place the mark, but you did. You knew. She would not have accepted my help. She would have run from me and back to you. The second I saw that mark, things changed, and I could no longer sit in silence. You do not deserve to be in her presence, half-breed. You do not deserve her devotion."

Both brothers could see the outrage in the eyes of the others. Both knew that Inuyasha's reputation had fallen dangerously low while Sesshoumaru's had improved somewhat. And yet, Kagome still chose to approach the hanyou, as if trying to make a point. The taiyoukai's eyes narrowed as she got closer and closer to the male he considered the enemy in this war for her heart. He sucked in a breath through his teeth, waiting, just waiting. When a smug Inuyasha reached for her, as if to pull her under his arm, he found himself knocked away and into the darkness.

Kagome let out a scream of frustration, and she glared up at Sesshoumaru. "Leave me alone!" She turned her back on everyone and began to stomp away, heading into the forest in the opposite direction than where Inuyasha had been thrown. Shippo chased after her, catching up quickly, only to return, sniffling, as she sent him back.

"What did he really do to her?" Miroku asked softly.

"Later," the taiyoukai replied. "She has no idea where she's going. She can barely see where she is placing her feet. I will not allow her anger to force me away, to leave her at risk."

"She really wants to be alone," Shippo said with a whimper.

"And she will be. I have been watching her for a very long time, and she has not once sensed my presence. None of you have. She will not know I am there, but I will protect her. Do not let him follow, or I will make sure he cannot move for a week." That said, Sesshoumaru disappeared from sight.

Everyone released a breath they didn't know they were holding as his oppressive youki disappeared with him, and they turned to look at each other.

"She'll never tell us what he really said and did, not all of it," Miroku said sagely.

"No, but apparently Sesshoumaru will," Sango replied, her disgust with the hanyou obvious.

"Come, let us collect Inuyasha and keep him from serious injury," the monk suggested. "I doubt Kagome would be happy to come across him alone in the forest right now, either. At least we know she will be safe."

"Even if it is with him," Shippo whispered.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Kagome stomped into the darkness of the forest as far as she dared, her steps growing more and more careful as less and less starlight filtered through the trees. She was so angry she wished she were back in her time in the well house again so she could hit him some more. She doubted this Sesshoumaru would simply stand there and willingly be a punching bag. She released a dark chuckle that would have made Naraku proud. She should have aimed a little lower. She knew she didn't really hurt him, but even demons had balls, and she didn't doubt they were just as sensitive as a human's were. That would have been gratifying, even if he did cut her head off for it. No, she didn't think even that would have made her regret it. He deserved a swift kick in the nuts.

What the hell was he thinking, passing out edicts as if he was her Lord? It wasn't up to him who she associated with! She could get as close to Inuyasha as she pleased, and it wasn't any of his business. Of course, that thought brought back the memory of being dragged around by her hair, of the almost evil hint to his voice as he threatened to beat her. She really had no idea what might have happened if Sesshoumaru hadn't stepped in. She honestly didn't want to know because she had a feeling it would have only gotten worse.

She hated admitting, even to herself, that she needed protection from the man she loved. How could Inuyasha think that she betrayed him to be with Sesshoumaru? She was terrified of the taiyoukai. He really was a monster in the truest meaning of the world. He was cold and emotionless. He hated his own sibling because of his mixed heritage, so much so that he took great pleasure in fighting him over and over again, just to watch him bleed. He killed indiscriminately and despised humanity as a whole, as if not a single human life was worth a thing.

But then why was he protecting her? Why was he so insistent that he would not leave her side? Why did he care? Was it really just because of a silly scar? Why had he even been there in the first place to stop Inuyasha? Why had he been near the well? And why in the hell had future Sesshoumaru held her while she cried and kissed her forehead, even as she threw every insult she could think of at him?

Why did her life have to be so screwed up? Why couldn't just _one_ thing be under her control? No, she would not allow this. He was not taking over and making decisions for her. She was not giving up even more of herself during this gods-forsaken quest that seemed intent on ripping everything she had away from her.

Satisfied that she wandered far enough, the miko chose a tree and slid down it to sit against the trunk, pulling her knees to her chest much like she had at the bottom of the well. She knew she was being stupid and reckless, out in the woods alone without a weapon or a clue in what direction she should run should trouble find her. And trouble always found her. She honestly didn't care. Besides, if that damn taiyoukai was worth his word, he was out there somewhere. She actually kind of appreciated that he was giving her space and letting her think she was alone. Inuyasha would never have been so... compassionate. Wait, could she actually consider something Sesshoumaru was doing compassionate?

She was exhausted, emotionally and physically, and so she decided, in that moment, to stop thinking. Nothing was making sense anymore anyway. With her mind quiet, the sounds of the forest suddenly seemed louder. Glancing around, she spotted eyes shining back at her in the distance, and she swallowed hard. Whatever it was, it was watching her, and there was no way it was Sesshoumaru. A twig snapped to her left, and her head whipped to the side. Leaves crinkled to the right, and she turned quickly again. Her gaze returned to where the eyes had been, only to find them a great deal closer than they were moments ago. Suddenly, she was terrified.

What had she been thinking, running off alone? And how did she know Sesshoumaru had even followed her? She could be well and truly alone out there, completely vulnerable. How stupid was she? Inuyasha's cruel words from the week before came back to her as he called her an idiot for getting lost on her way to get water. Apparently, he was right. She was a moron and now, all because she was stubborn and wanted to be alone, something out there was going to eat her alive. Oh, how she hoped it only wanted to kill her, whatever it was. Either way, she would never be heard from again.

Tears welled up in her eyes and began sliding freely down her cheeks. She shivered, realizing just how cold the ground beneath her was, but she was too terrified to move. She knew she should get up and try to locate the village, but as she had been told over and over again, she had absolutely no sense of direction. She would never find it. No, she would just give whatever was out there the thrill of a chase before it caught her.

Sesshoumaru had followed behind Kagome from above, moving silently, looking down at her as his heart ached. He had been tracking her emotions through her scent and he knew she was still angry and hurt. She also seemed scared, and he knew it was most likely of him. He had never made a positive impression on the little miko, and he still hadn't, really. He should have been more focused on her feelings. He should have realized how hard this change would be for her to accept. He should have explained what the mark meant and how he intended to follow her so things didn't have to change too much, but he hadn't gotten the chance. He was fighting Inuyasha when she returned so it wasn't as if he could just pull her aside to have a cordial conversation.

When she chose a spot and sat down, he claimed a branch that gave him a clear view. At first, she seemed perfectly content to sit there, but slowly, the scent of her fear grew from slight to immense and tears began to flow. He watched, as she looked from side to side, every little noise in the forest frightening her further. Apparently, it had dawned on her that hauling off alone into the woods wasn't the safest idea, but she should know he was out there somewhere. He told her very clearly that he would not leave her unprotected. But then, why would she trust him? He was still an enemy in her eyes. Maybe she was afraid that he was out there, afraid to be alone with him, at his mercy.

He hated the scent of her fear and, when she began to shiver; the desire to show himself and wrap her in his moko-moko for warmth was strong. He kept from doing so, however, by reminding himself that she wanted to be alone. If she wanted company, she would have asked for it, or she would have allowed the kitsune to accompany her. At least then, she would have some idea if she were on the verge of being attacked or not. And so he sat, in silence, just watching, even though he had told himself he would never go back to doing so. It was what she wanted, and he would respect her wishes.

Kagome was shivering constantly now as the moisture from the ground seeped into her skirt and the noises of the forest continued to frighten her. Those eyes were still watching her, and she couldn't stop herself from staring at them, hoping to get at least a moment's warning if it decided to charge. The longer she sat there sinking into a state of terror, the more she hoped that the taiyoukai had kept his word. Finally, she gave in to her fear.

"Sesshoumaru?" she practically whimpered into the darkness. "Are you out there?"

There was a soft thump and then her view of those eyes was blocked. She looked up slowly, squinting in the near pitch darkness, while praying it was him. That thought shocked her. She wanted to be alone in the forest with Sesshoumaru? Well, sure she did, because he wasn't going to rape her or eat her, or even worse, rape her and then eat her. He couldn't hurt her. His future self had told her so, and his patience with her disrespect had proven it.

"Calm yourself, miko," he said softly. He winced as she shrieked, the shrill sound sending the small rabbit in a bush a short distance away running in the opposite direction. He forced away the ringing in his ears and knelt before her. "You are safe."

She couldn't really see him. All she could see were his eyes glowing in the darkness, those obviously inhuman eyes. She jumped when his hand landed on her knee and heard him sigh.

"I will not harm you. You seemed to know that earlier."

"There was something over there, waiting to eat me," she hissed. "Is it gone?"

"It was a rabbit, miko. I doubt it would find you appetizing."

"A rabbit? That's all?" she asked with an awkward laugh.

"I would allow nothing dangerous within a hundred yards of you. Now stand up. You are cold."

She really didn't want to just blindly obey his orders, but he was right. She was freezing, and she didn't want to be alone any longer. She doubted he would be good company, but he was better than whatever was hiding in the shadows.

Sesshoumaru watched as she released the tight hold she had on her legs and straightened before trying to rise. She stumbled on a tree root, and he caught her elbow, keeping her from a painful collision with the ground.

"I... I don't want to go back to the village. I can't look at him right now, and even if I could, he'd only spend the whole night accusing me of horrible things. Why in the hell would he think I slept with you? Really? I would never do that!"

That hurt. That definitely hurt, but he hid his pain, just as he was an expert as hiding his frustration and his longing. Was he truly so disgusting that she would never even consider him a possible bed partner? Every woman to ever lay eyes on him had found him attractive, but of course, the only woman he wanted found him to be repulsive. Oh, the games the gods played with him.

"Where would you like to go? Do you wish to return to your era?" he asked softly, wanting her to know that he cared about her feelings. He wasn't just going to steal her and lock her away forever. He held gently to her elbow in an effort to keep her stable and awaited her answer.

"No," she replied with a sigh. "With my luck, you'll be there too."

He chuckled, feeling as she tensed at the sound, and then he sighed. He knew she was in shock that he showed some kind of emotion, but she needed to learn that he was a different person with her, a different person because of her. "Relax, miko. Am I not allowed to be amused?"

"You... You don't laugh."

"Perhaps I do, and you simply have never seen it. While in Inuyasha's presence, I find very little to laugh about. Except, perhaps, when you subjugate the whelp." He knew speaking of his half-brother probably wouldn't help his cause, but it was the truth.

Kagome smiled in spite of herself, and then sighed heavily. "Where are we going to go? I can't go to the village, and I can't go home. Oh, and I don't even have my bag!"

"I am sure your companions have your bag," he assured her, not wanting her to have something else to worry about as well.

"So much for my sleeping bag, then."

Sesshoumaru frowned. If she didn't have the strange folded blanket of hers to protect her from the ground then she was not going to sleep very well. He would take her to the palace, but it would take a while and flying during this time of night would only make her colder. Besides, if he went back, chances were good he would find some whore fouling his bedding with her scent. That would not make the best impression on the woman he was hoping, more than anything, to impress.

"Come. We will find a soft place for you to bed down, and I will make you a fire. Did you eat your evening meal?"

Kagome frowned in confusion at his concern. "Yeah, I had dinner."

"Good. I did not wish to leave your side in order to hunt."

"You... You would go hunting for me?"

"You are pack, miko. In the morning, we are going to have to have a talk about what that truly means. You need to understand that it is not the terrible curse you believe it to be."

"Huh, yeah, like you wanted to be saddled with a weak, worthless human. I'm sure you were just thrilled to spot that mark."

He had been. He really had been. It had sent a jolt of happiness through him the likes of which he had never known before. Still, if he told her that, she wouldn't believe him.

"You are neither weak, nor worthless, miko. You take the half-breed's vicious words to heart when you should see them for what they are."

"And what are they, then?" she asked while allowing him to lead her slowly through the darkness. She was shocked at just how patient he was being with her pathetic lack of night vision.

"They are hateful words spoken by an insecure child who seeks to exaggerate his own worth by minimizing yours."

Kagome allowed those words to flow through her mind a few times and found that he might just be right. Inuyasha had always been insecure. He always needed to be reassured of his strength. Every time he successfully hunted for the group, he had to be highly praised, or he would end up in a snit. Maybe he was just mean to her to make him feel better about himself. Wasn't that how bullies operated? And she certainly allowed it. She took his insults as if she deserved them, which gave him the impression that he could continue to do so. Gods, she was stupider than she thought.

Even though she was staring at the ground, she stumbled again, what had to be the sixth or seventh time since they started walking, and she hissed in pain as her ankle turned awkwardly despite his gentle hold on her. He froze and studied her closely, trying to decide on the best course of action, and when she tried to take another step and nearly collapsed, he sighed.

"I will not harm you," he reminded her. "Please, do not scream again. My ears are a great deal more sensitive than the half-breed's."

"What are you... Oh!" she gasped as she found herself swept up in his arm. He arranged her carefully; very aware of the spikes on his armor and the damage they could do to her soft human body. She was actually kind of impressed that he managed it so smoothly with only one arm. Realizing that he was carrying her through the forest, searching for a comfortable place for her to sleep through the night, she found it in herself to feel a little guilty for the part she played in him losing his arm. Sure, it had been necessary to keep him from killing them, but it was his arm! He was a great warrior, an expert swordsman, and Inuyasha had taken his arm!

He moved through the darkness as if he were floating above the obstacle-littered ground. She wasn't once jostled in his hold. Traveling like this was so much different from riding on Inuyasha's back, bumping along. With a mental sigh, Kagome wondered if she would ever ride on his back again. Well, if Sesshoumaru had anything to say about it, she wouldn't, and he seemed pretty adamant about the whole keeping Inuyasha away from her thing. She could understand it. All he witnessed was her friend's anger. He didn't see the sweet and caring things the hanyou did for her, the good that easily outweighed the bad. Of course, he saw him as a threat to her safety. She would just have to make him understand that she trusted Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru wondered what she was thinking about as he oriented himself by the position of the stars and turned accordingly, heading towards an acceptable place for her to sleep. He was thinking about how much he hated his armor at that moment. He was carrying her, and the damned armor made it impossible for him to feel her against him! If he had known he would be picking her up, he would have dumped it in an instant, not caring in the least that his armor was as much of a family heirloom as the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga. He ached for months to touch her and now that he had the chance, he was missing out on the best part of it.

The taiyoukai and the miko he held continued on in silence for several minutes before he stepped into a clearing, starlight and the slight bit of illumination from the moon allowing Kagome to see once more, though things were still veiled in shadows. Sesshoumaru selected a tree and sat down in one elegant motion. Then, he shifted her in his hold. Remembering that she hurt her ankle, he sighed, knowing that he was about to lose that blessed contact with her body.

"Show me your ankle," he said gently, watching his tone so that it didn't sound like he was giving orders.

Kagome slipped out of his lap to sit beside him, holding her leg up in front of his chest. He cupped the back of her calf and slid his hand lower, taking advantage of the situation to caress her bare skin, until he reached the injured joint. Very carefully, he manipulated her foot, wincing as she hissed in pain, until he was certain she hadn't broken anything.

"It is merely a sprain, but it will not be able to bear weight for a few days."

"That's just great," she groused. "How the hell am I going to get around? I guess I'll have to go home after all."

"Did you find something displeasing about your most recent mode of transportation?" he asked, slightly insulted that she didn't even consider that he might be willing to help. She really needed to learn just what pack meant, and soon.

"I didn't figure you'd be thrilled carting me around like a sack of rice."

He smirked and bowed his head in her direction. "It would be an honor to be your pack mule," he said playfully and, after a few long moments, he reached out and closed her mouth for her. "You will catch flies," he teased, watching as her mouth fell open again only to snap closed quickly. "I can summon Ah Un if you do not wish to be carried by this Sesshoumaru. He is more accustomed to being a beast of burden than I."

Kagome couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Sesshoumaru crawling around giving her a horsy ride as her father had so long ago. Pack mule, indeed. Her giggle turned into a full on laugh as that thought transformed into her riding atop his true form, burrowed down into his fur and clinging tightly to him as he flew through the skies. Now that she would like to see.

"What do you find so amusing?" he asked, relieved that she seemed to be growing more comfortable in his presence.

"Nothing," she replied quickly, clamming up, and the taiyoukai shook his head slightly.

"There is a soft patch of grass just there," he said, indicating the area for her. "And I will start a fire."

The miko didn't protest, merely scooted her way to the softer ground. At first, she merely sat and watched as best she could as he dipped in and out of the shadows collecting wood. Remembering how exhausted she was, Kagome curled up on her side, trying to make herself as small as possible. She pinched her eyes shut, uncomfortable with the thought that Sesshoumaru was actually doing something nice for her, and this after he rescued her from the dark forest and the bunny that had been hoping to make a meal of her.

Soon, the flames were crackling happily, and she opened her eyes, surprised at his speed, though she knew she shouldn't be. She moved closer to the fire in an effort to get warm and after a few minutes, when she was still shivering, she moved closer again.

"Miko, if you get any closer to the flames, you are going to burn off your hair," he scolded playfully. "Come here." When she shot a wide-eyed stare in his direction, he sighed. Sesshoumaru rose to his feet and removed his armor piece by piece, setting it aside, followed by his swords, which he placed within reach. He sat back down and gestured for her to approach, but her reluctance was obvious. "I will not allow you to suffer because you are uncomfortable touching me. Now, come here, miko. You are freezing. Allow me to help."

She didn't like it. No, she really didn't like the idea, but he was right. She was absolutely freezing. Her teeth were on the verge of chattering, and her mostly bare legs were covered in goose bumps. Though her shirt covered her arms, the fabric was thin, so it didn't help much, either. Why hadn't she realized that the nights had been growing colder?

Sesshoumaru bit back the pleased growl that fought to escape his lips at the sight of her crawling towards him on her hands and knees. He knew it wasn't seductive intentionally, but it was still incredibly arousing. He had to toss away that thought, along with the image, because the last thing he needed was to frighten her because he had an erection.

"How...? Where?" she stammered unintelligently, nervousness shutting down her brain.

He considered it for a moment, trying to think of how she might be most comfortable while allowing him to share as much body heat with her as possible. The more physical contact, the better, not only to keep her warm but also because he was going to enjoy every second of it.

"Sit with your back to my chest and your legs over my own. That will keep your body from touching the ground. Can you sleep on your back, semi-reclined?"

"Right about now, I could sleep standing up." Kagome narrowed her eyes almost as if she expected this to be some kind of a trick, but her discomfort outweighed her caution, and she climbed into his lap, shifting until she found a comfortable position. She jumped at the feel of soft fur sliding over her skin and looked down to find his moko-moko slithering to cover her bare legs from the cool night breeze.

She settled in, but she was still tense, and so the taiyoukai released a low, purring growl, one intended to calm one's mate and pups, and he smirked when it worked. Her muscles loosened, and she seemed to melt against him until she was asleep. His arm slipped around her waist, holding her body close to his so she didn't accidently roll off him during the night, and then he allowed his eyes to slip closed, as well. He wouldn't sleep, but he would allow himself to soak in this sensation of holding her so intimately, because he had no reason to believe that it would ever happen again.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Sesshoumaru frowned down at the miko sprawled over his body. She shifted during the last few hours, curling somewhat onto her side, with one hand clinging tightly to his haori. That wasn't what he found upsetting, though. It was actually quite nice, as if she knew she could turn to him for comfort. No, her whimpering and the scent of fear surrounding her bothered him. She squirmed, her grip tightening against his chest, while her eyes flicked quickly back and forth beneath closed lids lined with feathery black lashes.

She was dreaming and, whatever it was wasn't pleasant. She pulled her head down towards her chest and yelped before she began to murmur softly. His frown deepened as he made out his brother's name. Was she calling to the half-breed for help? Did she, even now, trust the fool with her protection?

"Inuyasha, no," she mumbled, her words becoming cleared and louder as the scent of her fear grew into sheer terror. She cried out as if in pain and twitched away as though she had been struck. "Stop, Inuyasha," she whimpered. "I'm sorry!"

Now, he understood. She was either remembering what happened earlier that evening, or her mind had created a similar situation to torment her as she slept. He was rather familiar with women's nightmares. Rin had experienced them for quite some time after he revived her as she remembered the fear and pain she experienced as the wolves chased her down and slaughtered her.

"Miko," he murmured softly, jostling her gently with his arm, which was now curled around her back, his hand clinging to her hip to keep her from rolling away with her fear induced movements. When she did not respond, only grasped more tightly at his clothing, he did it again, speaking a bit louder.

Suddenly, she let out a gasp and sat up swiftly. She would have fallen right out of his lap due to the almost violent jolt if he hadn't been holding on to her. Her eyes were wide, and she panted heavily, her heart racing in her chest.

"Oh, gods," she whined. "He wouldn't... It wasn't real, Kagome," she assured herself. "There is nothing to be afraid of." Realizing her position, she slowly turned her head until she could see his face lit by the flickering firelight. She ever so slowly released the front of his haori, wincing in pain at the movement of sore fingers. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It was just a bad dream."

"There is nothing for you to apologize for," he told her softly. "Does your hand hurt?" he asked, having noticed the pain on her face.

Slowly relaxing as the fear of her dream faded away, she laughed, a rather wet sound, and he realized that there were tears in her eyes again. "Yeah, that's kind of my fault. When I went back to my time, you were there, and I was angry, and, well, I kind of punched your chest... a lot. I think I messed up my fingers. You're as solid as a damn rock, you know that?" she joked awkwardly.

Sesshoumaru lifted a brow at her with interest. "You tried to hurt me?"

"Kind of. I knew I couldn't actually hurt you, but it made me feel better. I ended up hurting myself, though."

The taiyoukai delicately shifted her in his lap so that his arm was no longer supporting her and then gently picked up her hand. "Move your fingers," he whispered, watching intently as she did so. "I think you merely bruised the side of your hand. Is the other like this, as well?"

"Yeah," she admitted with a blush.

"I must have truly angered you."

Kagome laughed. "Well, you did mark me without my permission, which made the guy I'm in love with flip out and try to rip out my hair by the roots, and you just looked so damn smug about it, too, like it was your right to screw with my life."

"I am sorry for what I did," he told her, the genuine tone of his voice surprising her.

"It wasn't even you, though. You had nothing to do with it. It wasn't your fault. You're the one that's going to have to suffer through it, though. Now you're stuck with me."

"I would not call it that."

"Oh, then what would you call it?"

"Being blessed by your presence."

She stared at his face for a long moment before sighing, a small smile pulling at her lips. "You are the most confusing creature I have ever dealt with, the both of you."

He smirked, his eyes glowing in the low light, thrilled that they were having a pleasant conversation. "I will do my best to be as straightforward as possible, though I cannot speak for my future self." He decided to shift the subject to her nightmare, concerned as to what had frightened her so badly, though he had his assumptions. "Speaking about your dream may help keep it from returning. It seemed to help Rin get back to sleep."

"Where is Rin, anyway?" she asked, ignoring his suggestion.

He allowed her avoidance and answered her inquiry instead. "She is at one of my smaller residences with Jaken and Ah Un to protect her."

"Oh. She had nightmares?"

"She was killed by wolves. I revived her with the Tenseiga. She relived her death nightly for quite some time in her dreams."

"She... died? And you, you brought her back, of your own volition?"

"Is that really so hard to believe? I suppose, in your case, it might be. You have only ever seen one side of this Sesshoumaru."

Kagome's eyes widened as she remembered the other Sesshoumaru's words. "There are two sides to every coin," she whispered.

"Indeed," he agreed, "and I believe that today you were witness to the side of Inuyasha he has been hiding from you."

"He didn't mean it," she said softly, repeating herself, as she remembered telling the future Sesshoumaru the same thing.

"It was he you were dreaming about, was it not? You were terrified. You moved as if struck. Your mind is reminding you that he is a danger to your safety."

The miko huffed. "You know, I had nightmares about being doused in poison and screaming in pain as my body melted away right in front of my eyes," she shot back. "Doesn't that mean my brain wants me to know you're dangerous, too?"

He heaved a heavy sigh, once again surprising the little woman in his lap. "I have never been more thankful for my father's sword than I was when you survived that attack." It wasn't exactly the truth, but not entirely a lie, either. At the time, he truly desired her death, but his beast hadn't. His beast had known, even then, who she was to them. "Besides, that mark makes me incapable of harming you."

"So, if you try to hit me, it'll stop you, like with a barrier?" 

"Nothing quite so magical, miko. I cannot injure you because I have honor, and one's alpha female is to be protected and revered. I would never even consider raising a hand to you, no matter how angry you might make me. It simply will never happen. Inuyasha, on the other hand, saw no problem with assaulting his alpha female, as you were so clearly in your pack, proving that he has no honor while disgracing himself in the eyes of all pack youkai."

"He really scared me tonight," she confessed. "I don't know what he would have done if you hadn't stopped him."

"I did not wish to find out," he replied. "Can you understand why I feel I must protect you from him?"

"Yeah, I guess, but... He's not usually like that. He protects me. He takes care of me. He cares about me. He's not a threat to me. You've just never seen him at his best."

"It takes but one time to break the bond of trust, and trust me, little miko, I have seen how he treats you regularly. I was unimpressed. The worst part about what he did was that he did not lose control due to his anger. It was not his demon half that attacked you. He was fully in control every single moment. He chose to do what he did. He chose to hurt you physically, and then, once you were safe, he continued to try to cause you pain emotionally with vicious, hateful words and accusations. He questioned your honor, your loyalty, even your innocence, all because he was angry. There is no excuse for such behavior."

It was Kagome's turn to sigh. She should have known explaining her relationship with Inuyasha to Sesshoumaru would be impossible. No, this guy was going to do whatever it took to keep her safe, and that included keeping her away from the love of her life. Yes, she was right. Her life was truly over. Any chance she might have had to be happy with Inuyasha was gone, but then she doubted he would ever forgive her for the mark anyway, even though it wasn't her doing. The other Sesshoumaru had assured her he would, in time, but it seemed so unlikely.

"We're never going to agree on this," she muttered, moving to climb out of his lap. His arm looped around her to keep her from escaping. "What...?"

"It is even colder now than when you first fell asleep. You will stay with me."

The miko rolled her eyes. "Yes, my Lord," she muttered sarcastically, just knowing that he was smirking behind her head. She shifted into a comfortable position, somewhat surprised that a chest hard enough to bruise her hands was still so comfortable to lie against.

'In the morning,' he thought. 'In the morning, I will explain everything. She seems much more accepting of her new fate now than she was before. Perhaps, she will listen, but for now, she needs her rest.'


	13. Chapter 13

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Chapter 13

The sun had risen just moments before, rays of light peeking through the branches above them, and he knew the whelp was coming. He knew it and he didn't care. She was still sleeping like an angel, and he wasn't going to wake her. No, he would let her 'love' do that. He expected it would be quite the spectacle and surely, it would only help his cause, proving to her that Inuyasha was undeserving of her love and trust. He honestly was surprised the hanyou had stayed away for this long.

It was strange how Inuyasha had treated her as if she betrayed him, how he was violent with her, threatening her safety, and yet he still fought to regain her, still claimed her as his. When Kagome had retreated into the well to escape the mess happening around her, the hanyou's anger had instantly shifted from her to him, as he obviously needed an outlet for his aggression. Sesshoumaru was more than happy to be that for him. It was scores better than using a human woman for such. Kagome deserved better.

He wondered what the boy would do, how he would react to their current, rather intimate looking position. Her cheek was pressed to his chest, and she had the most peaceful expression on her beautiful face. One hand once again held a fistful of white silk and moko-moko remained wrapped around her legs to insulate her from the cold air. She looked like a goddess in white fur, and Sesshoumaru expected a rather explosive reaction, one that would startle her awake. Then, he would prove his ability to protect her while the boy's mouth proved he was unworthy.

Inuyasha was moving quickly through the forest. He was seriously pissed off. His so-called friends had dragged him into Kaede's hut last night and trapped him there using one of Shippo's larger illusions. He would have ripped the hut apart board by board to escape if he didn't know that Kagome would sit him for it, so deeply that when they went to rebuild Kaede's home, they could give her a root cellar without much digging at all.

He was still angry with the girl. No, that wasn't quite right. He was downright pissed off. Why in the hell would she have just stood still and let their enemy carve into her flesh using his poison? Was he really supposed to buy that bullshit story? Something else was going on, and he intended to find out what. He wasn't even convinced that there was a Sesshoumaru in her time. It was entirely possible that it was a story the wench concocted to make her seem innocent in this, one that his half-brother had decided to go along with to keep his fuck buddy happy and available.

That thought, however, didn't allow him to forget about the subjugation beads. Nothing let him forget about them. They hung heavily around his neck constantly, humming with a hint of her power. And so, he controlled his anger as much as possible, containing himself to simply ranting loudly throughout the night. It was just before dawn when Shippo grew too tired to maintain the giant boulder blocking the door and, as soon as it flickered and faded away, he was gone.

He went to the well first, thinking that perhaps she had gone home. If she had, he would be dragging her right back so she could explain herself to his liking. His nose, however, told him that she headed off into the forest. Sesshoumaru's scent had followed hers for a short time before disappearing, so he was forced to follow the little miko's trail. He easily found the spot where Kagome had tucked herself away and Sesshoumaru had caught up with her. The scent of her terror lingered heavily in the area, and Inuyasha smirked. She should be afraid. He didn't know, however, the source of her fear. Was she afraid of him or of Sesshoumaru? Or something else entirely?

He followed their combined trail, noting, with a scowl, when his half-brother had lifted her from the ground and carried her. It wouldn't be long now. He was closing in, their scents growing stronger. Again, he could smell her lingering fear, and he wondered: if she was afraid of Sesshoumaru, then what was she doing with him? Why had she allowed him to mark her and take her away from him?

He was confused, and being confused was something Inuyasha hated. Kikyo being revived made him confused. The way she seemed different and yet the same made him confused. Trying to decide which female he cared for made him confused. Being torn between protecting one or the other made him confused. The thought of Sesshoumaru willingly marking a human woman definitely made him confused. He might not get the answers to all of his questions, but damn it, he was going to get some!

Inuyasha slowed when he could hear the soft, slow sound of her breathing, as well as her relaxed heartbeat. He crept closer, hoping to surprise the two with his appearance. They smelled like they were in the same spot, so he knew they had to be rather close together, which only fueled his suspicions and fed his rage. He took one step, then another, rounding a large tree trunk, and then he could see them.

His brother was holding her as she fucking slept! His damn fur was covering her, ruining her natural scent, fouling it with Sesshoumaru's, which was an odor that always made his skin crawl. Not that her scent hadn't already been permanently marred by the hint of the bastard's poison in the mark, so every demon with a nose would know she was claimed, and by a powerful taiyoukai, too. The hanyou stood there in silence, just staring while breathing heavily, allowing the anger inside him to grow into something so powerful it almost scared him.

"I knew you were a lying whore!" he screamed, watching with glee as her body twitched violently in shock at the sound of his voice. She turned quickly in his direction, and when she tried to scramble out of Sesshoumaru's lap, she almost fell on her face thanks to the length of white fur wrapped around her legs.

The taiyoukai caught her easily, though she looked at him with wide eyes full of guilt, which sent a jolt of pain through his heart. So much for the progress they made during the night. Moko-moko unwound and, as soon as she was free, she tried to jump to her feet, forgetting all about her twisted ankle. She let out a yip as she put weight on the sprained joint and hopped on one foot for a moment, moving closer to a tree to support herself, brushing off Sesshoumaru's attempt to stabilize her.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed. "It's not... I'm not... I would never..."

Smarting a bit, as she made it obvious that she didn't want his help, the taiyoukai moved forward until his shoulder was even with hers. The hanyou was seething, and he would not allow the fool to hurt her, not again, never again.

"You sure as hell looked fucking comfortable, bitch! How long you been sleeping together, huh? How long have you been fucking my brother?"

The miko's eyes widened at his accusatory tone and righteous outrage boiled up inside of her. "You're a fucking idiot, Inuyasha! If I'd had sex with your brother, you'd know. Your nose would make keeping it a secret impossible! It was cold, and I couldn't go back to the village to sleep because you would have spent the whole night screaming at me. He was keeping me from freezing on the cold ground. You know, you've held me sort of like that on especially cold nights, too. Did everyone assume we were screwing when they saw it? No, because they're not assholes jumping to rude and very improbable conclusions!"

"Why didn't you just take your ass home, then, bitch?"

"Because he would have been there, too! I can't get away from him, no matter what I do! The jerk marked me in the bathroom of a fast food restaurant, of all places, and then disappears on me before explaining what he'd done. I come back only to be jerked around by my hair. You didn't even give me a chance to explain things! I had no idea what the mark was or what it meant! And then I go back home, trying to get away from him and you and everyone else who was freaking out, and he was there, Inuyasha! He was waiting for me in the well house, like he knew I would be coming. I guess he probably did know I was coming. He must have a pretty good memory, though, to remember that for five hundred years."

"I am not surprised," Sesshoumaru said in a low, calm tone. "I will never forget the day I first saw my mark on your flesh, not a single second of it."

Inuyasha huffed. "Well, ain't that special? I think you're both full of shit. He's not in your time! If he were, I would have sensed him by now. He marked you, probably in the middle of a really good fucking rut, and then you had to make up some stupid excuse so I wouldn't figure things out. Well, too fucking bad, because I figured it out anyway! What I don't know is why he'd want to fuck an ugly, stupid bitch like you!"

Kagome's eyes widened, the bright blue turning watery as tears welled up in the corners once more. "Inuyasha," she said in her tone of voice that warned of incoming pain, feeling gratified as his ears flattened to his skull. "Sit! You're an asshole! Now, you're gonna listen to me, and you're gonna listen good." She attempted to take a step in the subjugated hanyou's direction, only to hiss in pain as her injured ankle made itself known once more. She picked up her foot and tried to balance on one leg, and Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, grasping her elbow to keep her stable, not allowing her to shrug off the contact this time.

"He's there in my time. The first time I saw him was at the shrine. He's a donor, Inuyasha, a rich and generous businessman that has almost single-handedly kept my family shrine open for years! Without him, we would have had to close, or sell. Mama said he's been visiting personally for the last few years, but I'd never seen him before that day. He just stared at me and let his disguise fall so I could see him the way he really is. Then, I saw him again, on the train. Again, he just stared at me. Not a word. It was more than a month apart, and nothing really happened, so I didn't see the point in telling you and having you flip out."

She considered telling him more, but quickly decided to hold back. No one needed to know the rest, that more demons had appeared, or that Sesshoumaru had called her the mother of their kind. She sure as hell wasn't going to try explaining that to Inuyasha while he was being such a major league asshole.

The hanyou lifted his head out of the dirt and spit before cursing and calling her a string of very rude names, which only inspired her to subjugate him again. She laughed darkly, and Inuyasha tried to hide the shiver that shot down his spine at the sound.

"He promised me you would forgive me eventually, but that I shouldn't be the one needing forgiveness. He was right. I can't believe what you did yesterday, what you said. You hurt me on purpose, threatened to do even worse, and you acted like it was my fault! You know what? Fuck you! I'm done. You can think whatever you want, because I'd rather be with a man who won't treat me the way you do. I don't know him well, but I do know Sesshoumaru is honorable, and he doesn't break his word, and he swore to protect me. You know, you swore the same thing, but you couldn't even protect me from yourself!"

"You're not going anywhere, wench!" he snarled from the ground. "You have jewel shards to find, or are you giving up like the weak little bitch you are?"

"I don't need you, Inuyasha," she hissed. "Sesshoumaru has always been stronger than you. And what he said yesterday, about the others, he's right. They won't follow you without me. They only tolerate you because of me! You're going to be alone again, Inuyasha, all... a...lone," she said, emphasizing each syllable, pausing for a long moment to let that thought sink in before continuing. "And you brought it on yourself. Maybe you can travel with Kikyo, though how you can stand the stink of her, I've never understood."

When the hanyou tried to rise once more, feeling a little less angry and a little more concerned, she glared and said the word over and over again until she was certain he wasn't getting up for a while. Then she turned her gaze to Sesshoumaru, her anger slipping away as an innocent smile spread across her face.

"Could you help me to the village? I'd like to talk to my friends."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "It would be my pleasure."

She watched in silence, bracing herself against a tree, as he expertly applied his armor with only one arm before sliding his swords into his sash. Then he gently swept her off the ground as he had the night before. He started towards the village, stepping directly on the center of the hanyou's back on his way past, smirking at the sound of Inuyasha's groan of pain.

"You should have treated your alpha female with respect," he shot back towards his half-brother as he walked away. "Now, she is mine."


	14. Chapter 14

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Chapter 14

Everyone was thrilled to see their friend return to the village, though they were, of course, concerned as to why she was being carried instead of walking on her own. Once they settled in Kaede's hut, the elder miko raising a barrier to ensure Inuyasha did not interrupt them, the story began. Kagome sat back in silence and allowed Sesshoumaru to relay what he had seen from the moment she arrived in their era to the arrival of her other companions.

Kagome had a few reasons for not telling the story herself. First of all, she really didn't want to remember it. It was something she wished she could forget, and having to recall the details and all of the hanyou's cruel words would have been very stressful. Of course, hearing someone else tell it wasn't much better, but at least this way, she managed to hold back her tears. More importantly, the miko knew that if she were to try and tell it, she would end up making excuses for Inuyasha, as she so often did, and this time she knew that there simply was no excuse for his behavior. She knew Sesshoumaru would tell it exactly as it had occurred, and he had, word for word.

Needless to say, her friends were livid. Kagome actually had to hold firmly to Shippo where he sat beside her because the more he heard, the more he desired to find the hanyou and attempt to beat some sense into him. The sweet little miko was a mother to him, and he couldn't fathom treating her in such a way. No one should ever treat her the way Inuyasha had, no matter the circumstances. Sure, he probably wouldn't be able to inflict much damage on the much larger and stronger hanyou, but just trying would make him feel better.

Next, the confrontation just that morning was detailed, and hearing that Kagome had subjugated Inuyasha repeatedly seemed to please everyone in attendance. Finally, Sesshoumaru fell silent, awaiting the questions he knew would be coming.

"So, what happens now?" Shippo asked what everyone was thinking.

"You aren't going to forgive him this time, are you Kagome?" Sango questioned, her tone indicating just how she felt about Kagome's forgiving nature in this particular case. In her opinion, there was no forgiveness to be had. Inuyasha had simply gone too far.

"Not anytime soon," the miko confirmed. "He really needs to grow up and get control of himself, because it's just ridiculous. I deserve better."

"Yes, you do," Miroku agreed whole-heartedly.

"What about the shards?" the little kit inquired. No one had really answered his first question, and he felt it needed to be addressed.

"I'm hoping to continue the hunt for both the shards and Naraku," Kagome said. "Just, with a new protector, a better protector." She looked over at Sesshoumaru just in time to see his chest swell up with pride in a way so similar to how Shippo looked when he successfully caught a fish or perfected a new illusion. It was strange, seeing him showing feeling of any kind, but it was actually kind of adorable, and she couldn't keep from smiling in his direction.

"And the mark? What does it really mean?" Miroku wondered aloud.

"The mark is a symbol of my commitment to the miko. It identifies her as a permanent member of my pack. She is my alpha female, and as such is meant to be protected and revered. She is to be treated with the same respect I would expect to receive. She is my equal, my partner, and no one in this world is more important than she is. I will be accompanying her on her quest to collect the shards and each of you is welcome to join us. You will be welcomed into my pack, though you do not need to be marked unless you truly desire it. It is a lifetime commitment, and I will live for a very, very long time."

Kagome couldn't help but blush at his words, along with the sincerity of his tone. She was more important to him than any other person in the world? All because his future self decided to screw around with the timeline? She felt guilty at that. He had been saddled with her. He hadn't chosen this, but he was stuck with it now, and his honor wouldn't even allow him to complain about it, though she was certain that he had complaints. How could he not, when such an important and permanent decision had been made for him?

"Will she always be alpha female?" Miroku asked out of curiosity.

"She will. I will place none above her."

"How many females are in your pack?" Sango asked, expecting it to be a large number. After all, he was a Lord, responsible for the lives of many.

"There is only Rin, but that is not why the miko is my alpha. I would have chosen her even if there were scores of females in my pack."

"Can I ask why?" Now the monk was really curious.

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Because she is the only female I have ever found reason to respect. Because she is deserving of protection and anything else I can give her, anything she desires. She also contains an unimaginable, immeasurable amount of power, and I have never witnessed a more loyal, intelligent, trusting and selfless creature in all my years. She knows no bigotry, no hatred. She would give her life in an instant to save another; friend or stranger, it matters not. She sees no differences between us: human, youkai, even hanyou. She judges each solely on their merits, on what they show her of their hearts, not what they are or what they have. Rich or poor, it matters not. She is the purest soul to ever walk this earth, and I am proud and honored to walk by her side."

Sango and Miroku sat in stunned silence as the taiyoukai finished, their eyes wide. Shippo had the biggest smirk ever on his little face, and Kaede wore a small, knowing smile.

He turned to look at the woman he just described, only to find tears streaming down her face. He was instantly confused. "Why do you cry, miko? What did I say wrong?"

A shuddering sob escaped her as she wiped desperately at her cheeks while shaking her head. "Nothing. Nothing wrong. No one... No one has ever said anything so nice about me before. I'm not... I'm not worthy of the pedestal you're placing me on. All those things you mentioned, they're things that anyone could do, things any nice person would do. I'm nothing special."

A low growl rumbled in his throat, and he gently ran his knuckles over her cheek, catching a single tear on his finger. "Lies, all of it. No one in this world could ever compare to you, little miko. I truly believe that you are the one who will save the world. The gods could not have created a more beautiful creature."

"He's right, Mama," Shippo said while crawling into her lap, being careful not to bump her ankle, on which rested an instant cold pack from her first aid kit. "You're everything he said and more."

Kagome blushed brightly and looked away from the kitsune, only to see Miroku and Sango nodding in agreement.

"Your soul is so bright, Kagome, that I could feel you for miles before I laid eyes on you the first time," Miroku confessed. "You drew me like a moth to a flame."

"You accepted me so easily, even after I stole the Tetsusaiga from Inuyasha, and he wanted nothing to do with me. You welcomed me into your life, and you treat me like family. I could never say it so eloquently, but everything he said is true, all of it."

"This one is impressed that you can see her so clearly, Lord Sesshoumaru, especially since you have spent very little time in her presence, and always on opposite sides of the battlefield." The elder miko still had that knowing look on her face as she basically challenged the taiyoukai to tell the truth that she knew he was still hiding.

He wasn't sure how Kagome would react to this particular confession, but he already said the same to her companions last night. "I have spent a great deal of time watching, soaking in everything there was to learn about her, but I suspect you already knew that."

"You what?" the little miko asked, sniffling but fighting down further tears.

"I have, for many months, followed your group, shielding my scent and aura so none could detect my presence."

"Why?"

"In an effort to understand how one can remain so pure of heart when faced with so many challenges, with such heavy responsibilities. In the hopes of learning why you are unlike any other human I have ever known. Because you caught my attention from the very first moment I saw you with the hanyou. I was unable to resist the urge to know more about you."

Kagome quirked a smile in his direction, which allowed him to relax a great deal. "Stalker," she muttered with amusement. "I shouldn't be surprised. You're just as bad five hundred years from now, following me all around town."


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note: Updates may be delayed as I'm having a difficult time working at the moment. My husband is having spinal fusion surgery in ten days and my anxiety is making my nerves about it so much worse. I'm trying to continue writing, especially for my patrons, but it's rough going.

Chapter 15

Kagome materialized at the bottom of the well in her time, carefully keeping her weight off her bad foot. Her ankle was still swollen, an ugly shade of purple. She glared at the ladder, but before she could decide whether to try to climb it or call for help, she felt a powerful aura wash over her.

The taiyoukai, dressed in his usual expensive tailored suit, was suddenly beside her, and she rolled her eyes in irritation.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" she muttered.

Sesshoumaru shrugged noncommittally. "How, exactly, did you intend to get out of the well without me, miko?" Without another word, he swept her up in his arms and jumped, landing softly on the ground around the top of the well. He placed her back on her feet with one arm around her waist, careful not to aggravate her injury.

Kagome blushed lightly but refused to back down. "I could have handled it. Aren't you supposed to be an important businessman? Isn't there something else you should be doing, other than bothering me? Haven't you screwed things up enough?"

"I do not believe I have 'screwed' anything up," he replied flatly. "Truly, did my past self seem bothered in the least that you are now ours to protect?"

"No, but that's only because he has too much honor to complain about something he can't do anything about."

The taiyoukai rolled his eyes. "Or perhaps he is pleased with the change. I seem to recall saying that I did not feel stuck with you, but rather blessed by your presence."

The miko scoffed. "Why the hell would anyone be happy to be saddled with me? Now his life is going to be dominated by protecting and rescuing me every time I get myself in trouble, which happens a hell of a lot."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Trust me, I remember."

"Ass," she muttered under her breath. "Told you he's not happy about it. You clearly remember that, so don't think you're fooling anyone."

"Just because I remember coming to your rescue does not mean that I minded doing so," he told her. "Though every time trouble managed to find you, when I failed to protect you, I did question my own abilities. You should never have been at risk while under my care. I should not have allowed danger to reach you."

Kagome couldn't help but laugh. "You mean Mr. Perfect couldn't keep all the bad guys away from little old me?"

"You seemed to be a magnet for trouble. I could not be with you every moment, though I certainly tried. There were times when you refused my presence, during moments you deemed to be 'private'. I believe such moments were why you chose to come home to recover instead of staying in the past."

The miko blushed while remembering the conversation she had with him before asking him to take her to the well. She realized that he would have to carry her out into the forest when she needed to relieve herself, and then come and collect her again when she was finished, just the thought of which was completely mortifying. With his powerful nose... No, she didn't want to put either of them through that. It was much easier and less embarrassing to just come home until she could walk on her own again.

Refusing to face that humiliating topic once more, Kagome decided to swiftly change the direction of their conversation. "I still think he's mad about it. I don't know if he's mad at me or you, but there's no way he's happy about what you did."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her. "Why can you not accept the fact that I enjoy your presence? Why is that such an impossible thing?"

"Because he's... you're Sesshoumaru! Even if he did stalk me to learn more about me, that doesn't mean he wanted to be stuck with a human woman for years. At least I'm going to die eventually, so he won't have to suffer through my presence forever."

The taiyoukai fought down the desire to smirk. She had absolutely no idea what he, or the fates, had in mind for her. She wouldn't be dying anytime soon, neither in the past nor in the present. She would be with him until the very end of time. How he wished she would simply accept things at face value and believe his words instead of looking for hidden meanings. Inuyasha had certainly done a number on this sweet girl for her to not be able to fathom how he could possibly be interested her.

"You know, Mama is going to freak out when she sees you carrying me into the house. She's gonna wanna know how I know you, and why you were in the well house to begin with. No one but my family knows my secret."

This time, Sesshoumaru allowed the smirk to show. "I will leave the explanations to you. Will I be needed to carry you to the doctor as well?"

"Gee, thanks. And nah, I've got my own set of crutches. It's just a sprain, anyway." When he gave her a questioning look, she sighed. "This is not the first time I've sprained my ankle."

"Then you won't have any problem joining me for dinner this Friday," the taiyoukai stated more than asked.

"What?" Kagome questioned, too shocked by his words to fully comprehend what he said.

"I wish for you to have dinner with me," he repeated. "I will pick you up at six."

"Don't I get a say in this?" she exclaimed.

"Do you intend to refuse me?"

"Well, I..."

He smiled as she stammered. "We both know you wish to question me further. Though I may not be able to answer some things, I am willing to share what I can." He knew it was an underhanded way of getting what he wanted, but as long as it had the desired result, he didn't care.

"Why would you want to spend more time with me? Didn't you get enough of that in the past?"

"Honestly? Because I find myself rather lonely these days, and you are, after all, still my alpha female."

Kagome's cheeks flushed pink, and her heart ached for the taiyoukai. Had he never found a mate? Had he truly spent all those long years alone? After all, she could only have lived for a few more decades if she stayed in the past permanently. If she was still his alpha female in this time, then that meant he never found another to replace her, the poor guy. She couldn't even begin to imagine living so very long with no one to help pass the time.

Sesshoumaru allowed her a few moments to consider his request, frowning at the sadness he saw in her eyes. Why was she suddenly upset? What had he said wrong? Even after all the time he spent with this woman, she still managed to confuse him on a regular basis.

"I'm still your alpha female?" she murmured softly.

"Indeed."

"But... Shouldn't you have found another by now?"

Ah, now he understood. She felt pity for his loneliness. She assumed that he had lived a solitary life since her 'death', as if he would ever allow her to die. She should have known better than to believe, even for a moment, that he would allow something as silly as her human mortality take her away from him.

"I never desired another," he replied, allowing a small amount of his true feelings towards her seep into his voice. Gods, he was lonely, but the decision had been made quite some time ago that if he intended to play with the timeline, he would have to do so on his own. Waking up alone in his large, cold bed every morning was hell, but he knew it was worth it. Every time his path crossed with another of youkai heritage, he knew the sacrifice he was making daily had changed everything for so many others.

He loved her in the past for so long without ever giving her even the slightest hint of his feelings, and that path had been torture to walk. Now, he was changing it so that he had a chance with her to have what he always wanted, and he got it...eventually. Still, he wasn't satisfied. It took far too long and he had no desire to live daily in her presence while her heart yearned for another, as she held onto her love for Inuyasha, and she'd done so for _years_. No, it was far too painful, for the both of them. Now, he had a new plan to help her realize that she deserved better, and hopefully a hell of a lot more quickly than it would take otherwise. He wanted to have every single moment possible with her, with her heart in his hands and her body held tightly against his own, with their very souls entwined so that they could never be torn asunder.

Kagome looked wary, studying him closely as if trying to determine his true motives. After a long, awkward silence, she nodded. "Fine, dinner. Only dinner, in a public place."

"You still do not trust this Sesshoumaru," he said, fighting to hide the pain in his voice. "There is a restaurant to which I wish to escort you," he explained, assuring her that her terms would be met. He had been planning their dinner there for weeks now. Afterwards, she would likely return to the Feudal Era and begin traveling with his past self and he wouldn't get to see her for quite some time. Once he was certain of how long it would be until she returned, he had another woman to see, the same, and yet different. It had been too long.


End file.
